Alice Ngan, who is still working to master the English language, read a poem to a full audience at Newton Free Library.
"Up and Down. Up and Down. There are swings moving in the playground. Blonde or Red. Black or Tan. There is hair of lovely kids flying with the swings. Different colors, different styles and different lengths. Covering the little faces with the same expression, happily laughing."
Her words never faltered, and though her accent could be detected, she spoke with confidence.
Her poem - along with stories of more than 75 immigrants living in and around Newton - fill the pages of "Here We Are," a book recently published by Newton Free Library.
The library's English as a second language program - which has grown to 200 tutors and 300 students - compiled the memoirs through a grant awarded to Susan Becam, the English for speakers of other languages and literacy program coordinator, by the Massachusetts Literacy Foundation.
Students were asked to write about a moment in time. From the story of a woman battling a telephone company over a $1,500 bill, to the smell of coffee resurrecting memories of grandparents, to wedding preparations in Korea, each essay gives a snapshot into the high or low moments in everyday lives.
"I always thought how wonderful it would be to put a book together like this," Becam said. "The stories turned out wonderful. They were touching, romantic, funny ... It's very satisfying to see how excited students can be to see their work published."
Ngan, who has lived in Newton over two years, was familiar with the English language, but struggled to master an accent-free dialect. She's been working with Joan Subrin, a volunteer at the library, to smooth out her words. She said it made her happy to see her poem in print.
Her memoir was centered on a moment in time that brought her peace. To a crowd that filled Drucker Auditorium on Monday, the Hong Kong native read:
"Running here, running there. There are little legs, chasing each other in the park. English or Spanish. Chinese or Hebrew. There are different languages spoken in the air. Different accents, different tones, but the same body language. We are happy and excited here. Little trees grow, little legs become stronger. "
While each memoir is written by the students of the English as a second language program, tutors helped flesh out the details of the short stories and refine the grammar.
"We wanted students to use their speaking skills that they acquired and carry that over into their writing," Becam said, as she flipped through the book. "It's been a lot of fun just talking to learners and hearing about their lives and life experiences."
The project began in January 2007 with two workshops conducted by Peggy Rambach, a local writer. Over the next few months, tutors and students worked together on each piece.
The final products were laid on a back table of the auditorium last week, wrapped in yellow and orange tissue paper.
People representing a mixture of countries blended together in the auditorium, making conversation with their instructors or classmates.
And Ngan, a testament to what the English as a second language program can accomplish, carefully read her poem.
"Lawyer or Doctor. Architect or Worker. They hug each other, shake hands with one another. They grow up in different ways. But they say. We love America."
Chrissie Long can be reached at clong@cnc.com.
