The Hmong Refugees

The Hmong are a simple,
But hardy hill tribe,
Who were forced to flee
For their lives
When their side lost
In the battle for Laos.
They were mostly
Peasant farmers
Who came with nothing
More than the clothes
On their backs.
Their intricate embroidery
Depicting a land at war,
With planes bombing
And strafing the countryside,
Is sometimes seen
At local craft shows.
Few of them spoke English
When they came,
And they survived
As best they could
Working menial jobs,
Pooling their resources,
Living 15 or 20 to a house,
And growing much
Of the food they ate.
Many of them now
Have houses of their own
And they appreciate
Everything they have,
No matter how meager
It may seem to outsiders.