Little Saigon & Zelzah: A Tale From Long Ago

I read a poem called Little Saigon written by David St. John. I will try my best to explain, I don't understand poems well all the vocabulary they use. A mother sent her two kids on a boat to America. She told the character in the story who was 14 years old to take care of her little sister name Mai Chi. They didn't get to shower for 10 days, and they didn't have much food.

I know a family who won't let her kids eat more when they are still hungry. She only feeds them a little. It really touches me hard, it's sad. I felt bad for these kids, I always gave them my food- and I would make them food and give them a lot. Kids are innocent, they should be able to get fed everyday, and showers. Finally, a fishermen carried them on his ship and gave them blankets, showers, etc.

Ngoc Be and Mai Chi were waiting for their mother to come to California, until one day the Aunt Kahnh told them that their mother died in a storm. I can't imagine going through life with both my parents being gone. I would have to take care of my two little sisters, and I would have to stand strong in front of them. I can't imagine. I know a few friends who go through that in life.

Again, like I've said I tried my best to explain the poem. I don't understand it fully in details- but I got the basic idea. The other story I've read is called Zelzah: A Tale From Long Ago written by Norma Fox Mazer. There were five sisters in the story- The oldest to the youngest is Ruth, Zelzah, Shulamith, Anna, and then Sara is the youngest. Zelzah is the quiet one, and she always wonder about the names her mother gave her and her sister. For example- Anna means "grace" but she was clumsy with one leg shorter than the other. For Shylamith, her name mean "peacefulness" but she wasn't peaceful. The meaning of their names didn't seem to match for who they really were.

The five sisters slept together in a large double bed. I have my own bed, and I wouldn't want my sisters to sleep with me. My sisters always sleep with me in my bed, they have their own beds. But when, I come home from college- they miss me so much and I only let them sleep in my bed with me because I love them. But, really I like to sleep in my own bed alone. It's more comfortable. I can't imagine having to sleep with someone everyday, (and that's exactly why I am not getting married. Haha)!

Anyways, this story isn't supposed to be funny- I went off the subject. Back to Shulamith, who always tell each sister where they should sleep. I wouldn't like a sister telling me where to sleep. She is the middle child, and I think that is interesting to see that the middle child has that type of personality, to demand her sisters what to do. And, it's not like they sleep together because they love each other. They have to, because the parents can't afford to buy more beds, or a bigger house for more room.

That is sad, the family lives in a one big room which is their house. The bed was in a corner of the room. The house only contained that bed, a high dish cupboard, two wooden wardrobes, a scrubbed wooden table and chairs, several metal trunks with rounded tops and leather straps, a stove, and their parent's bed. They came from a poor family.

Ruth would clean anything without being told! Shulamith and Zelzah did a bit of everything. Sarah was allowed to play all day long. Zelzah was 9 years old, and he worked on the farm of a elderly Polish couple. Zelzah always walked 3 miles and did a lot of work without complaining. He was well fed. Her parents began to talk about her future. They wanted Zelzah to get married. Shulamith seemed jealous, she got mad at Zelzah and said "why did momma have you before me? I want to have my own bed to sleep with a man."

Later that summer their Aunt Hannah came to America- just like in the last story (poem) Little Saigon- where the two girls were sent to America.

Aunt Hannah had 4 sons. One was already married to an American girl. One was still young. Two sons, Jake and Ephraim needed wives. Zelzah is now fifteen and would make a good wife for Jake. He marries his own cousin? Back then people married their own cousins. I can't imagine marring my own cousin. Zelzah was focused on getting an education for herself, then she became a teacher for the third graders. There is soo much details to the story. But, that's the whole point. I don't want to exagerrate! There is too much more information I could add. You just have to read the story for yourself, it's so long! =D Thanks!