The Distance
Blue Scholars Lyrics

If you've never seen the distance in an immigrants eyes
If you've never witnessed the hardship and separation that immigrants face when leaving their homeland, then you haven't noticed the toll it takes on them.

Then you've never seen resistance in the form of a cry
The struggle is real when you see someone cry, which exemplifies their will to resist the difficult situation they face.

He decided it was time to bring the drought to an end
A realization dawned upon the person, causing him to take action towards ending the suffering and deprivation that he had been facing.

The soujourner, soul searcher from whom i descend
The person is described as a wanderer, wandering in search of a place to find comfort and peace. The artist asserts that he is of the same descent or origin as that person.

Put his life inside his pockets leavin' on a plane
The person left his entire life behind, taking only his belongings with him as he boarded a plane to leave his homeland.

Living long lonely nights children wife left in labor pain
The person left behind his wife, who was going through labor pain, and his children to better their lives and provide for them, but it came at a cost of living lonely, long nights filled with uncertainty.

Tirelessly trying to provide he prized dialectics to fight for the slice of a pie
The person worked hard to make a living, providing for his loved ones and fighting for his rightful piece of the wealth and opportunity available in the new land.

But this life was premised on a lie instead of being promised by society
Despite society's promises of an American dream, the person came to realize that the opportunity he was chasing was built on a false promise, which made his pursuit for a better life challenging and unfair.

The nature of economy is sodomy ten generations of poverty turned to poverty
The economy is ruthless and unforgiving, trapping generations of people in poverty without a way out.

Later, and a third world diploma not even worth the paper its written on
The degree the person earned from a third-world country had no value in the new land where his credentials did not matter.

With no elevators goin' up to the top ya'll
There is no easy way to the top as the journey requires hard work, and the ascent to the top takes a lot of time and patience.

Instead, its long days spent slavin over hourly wages
The person works hard for long hours, tirelessly toiling away to make ends meet on meager wages.

And when the clock strikes labor he savors the pages
After a hard day's work, the person retreats and finds solace in reading letters from his loved ones who give him hope and strength to carry on.

Of letters sent by his kinfolk who invoke the image of what its like to have been broke through cigarette smoke
The letters from the person's family depict their struggles and challenges, including the image of smoking cigarettes as a way to cope with their hardships.

He tries to spin hope to dreams in close proximity to family in his memory
The person tries to hold on to the memories of his family, carrying them close as he tries to keep alive the hope of being reunited with them one day.

And it is stated in between the night shifts and sleep a moment of clarity
In the quiet moments between the hustle of the night shifts and the need for sleep, the person has a moment of clarity, which helps him push through the hard days.

He may never come home despite the familiarity of faces from his homeland who speak the same dialect
Despite meeting people from his homeland who speak the same language and share the same culture, the person might never return home or reunite with his loved ones.

Fellow country women and men standin' in line to get greencards, visas, and passports
Other people from his country also stand in line and wait to obtain the legal documents required to live in the new land they have chosen.

Barely makin' enough over half a paycheck remitted with love
Despite working hard, the person earns barely enough to survive and sends half of his paycheck back home to his loved ones.

Strangers keep staring in disgust and distrust talkin 'bout this country's just us: no justice
The person faces bigotry, racism, and judgment from strangers who view him with suspicion, talking about how the country offers no justice or equality.

His hope's enough to oneday return to his town to join his ancestors in their burial ground
Despite everything, the person clings on to the hope of returning to his homeland and being laid to rest alongside his ancestors.

Almost forgot how the countryside sounds but this time around the lost are never found
After a long time away, the person has almost forgotten what the sounds of his homeland were like, but this time, when someone leaves their homeland, there is a sense of loss, and they may never be found again.

In the distance between home and where we live
The physical distance between the person's homeland and where he lives now brings with it emotional and psychological pain.

Its the distance between a mother and her kids and
The distance affects a mother's relationship with her kids, causing emotional and psychological distance between them.

Its the distance that keeps us apart and
The distance between places, people, and cultures is what drives a wedge between us, making it challenging to bridge the gap between our differences.

Its the distance between my soul and my heart
The distance between the person's soul and heart symbolizes the emotional and mental pain that comes with living so far away from the person's homeland and loved ones.