"Immigrants in Our Own Land" Analysis

Wow. That was a depressing poem. Anyways...

     As kids, we have big hopes and dreams. We believe we can go do whatever we want and become anything we want. However, as we grow up, we face the cold realization that that is not true. We go face to face with reality. We learn that life isn't fair, and we have to accept that. Jimmy Santiago Baca was able to incorporate all of this into his poem "Immigrants in Our Own Land."
     The beginning of the poem brings you into a sense of optimism, the sense that you can accomplish whatever you want. The diction is uplifting; it brings a smile to your face as you read the first line. But as the poem goes on, the diction becomes gloomy as written "Our bodies decay, our minds deteriorate, we learn nothing of value." The speaker is connecting his expectations to reality, and as we read each stanza, he is becoming despondent.  The speaker is facing reality and realizing that his dreams will, sadly, not come true.
     The middle of the poem introduces new immigrants arriving, so the speaker reminiscents about his past, describing his new take on life. The diction is just depressing now as Jimmy Santiago writes,  "Some will die and other will go on living." The speaker talks like a part of him has died inside, the hope at the beginning of the poem gone. He believes the same thing will happen to the new incoming immigrants. 
     The last few lines of the poem end on a sad  note.  The speaker is in jail, and the person he was before is long gone.  We learn the lesson that  some dreams we have will disappear over time, and we have to accept the fact that reality is cruel and unfair. Jimmy Santiago Baca has written an incredible poem that goes to show the terrible parts of life.