Immigrants playing immigrants

The first poem is the original version of text that i wrote for a scene in the production of Border Crossing. Following it is the edited down, watered down version that appears on stage.

While I prefer to use the word migrants for all the indigenous peoples who have travelled this continent since time began - exchanging resource, ceremony, knowledge and story - I had to laugh at my friend Jim Northrup's take on the situation of white folks portraying the migrants on stage - he e-mailed me the line:  immigrants playing immigrants.  It was the best laugh I've had about the whole disaster.