Five Years

"Five years, not one day more," to yourself you swore
As you stepped ashore, and your insides tore
Adjust thru dismay, save and send your pay
Toil day after day, home feels far away
Needs are on display, as you hope and pray
Oh no, you had not come to stay

But felt forced to leave
Pride still on your sleeve
While part of you still grieves
What may not be retrieved

Saying, "I know who I am."
They don't know Uncle Sam
He doesn't give a damn
So I will withstand
Just these five years

"Not one day more," to yourself you swore
As you stepped ashore, and your insides tore
Adjust thru dismay, save and send your pay
Toil day after day, home feels far away
Needs are on display, as you hope and pray
Oh no, you had not come to stay

(Vous n'étiez pas venu pour rester
Vous n'étiez pas venu pour rester)

But the time it goes by so fast
Twenty years amassed
So long, long at last
Can reacquaint with your past

But so much has changed
Least of all, you seem strange
Relations rearranged
What with the foreign exchange

Few you knew back when
Say you can't understand
What occurs on this land
"You Diaspora Man!"

Then they plainly ask
The worry barely masked
"Why've you come, what's your task?
For just how many days?
Are things abroad all ok?
You aren't feeling malaise?"
Oh no, mes amis
I did not come
To stay

"Not one day more,"
To yourself you swore, as you stepped ashore
(And now two decades have passed) Your whole insides tore!

"Five years, not one day more,"
To yourself you swore, as you stepped ashore
(Oh how your fate was re-cast) Still feel it in your core

"Five years, not one day more," to yourself you swore
As you stepped ashore
(Your whole insides tore!)

Adjusted thru dismay, saved and sent your pay
Toiled day after day, home not here nor away
Needs still on display, always hoped and prayed
Wonder what went astray
How your life turned out this way

Five years, five years, five years
Five years, five years, five years