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Just Another African

Just another African
Once full of sun and hope
Train to Venice from Milan
At the end of your rope
Horrors seen at just 19
Crammed onto a flatbed
Desert burning red
Human carrion in the sand
Oblivion near at hand
Beatings, rapes in Tripoli
Leaky tub on a rough sea
Peril all the way to Sicily 
Papers - “political refugee”
Even so, two years of no, no no
Pain inspires disdain
Contempt and disgust
When migrants are discussed
No “ciao”, nothing so banal
Distracts from the icy canal
“Go home” they thunder
And film you go under
No Good Samaritan
For just another African

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Caren Krutsinger

Date: 8/28/2020 1:10:00 PM

I cannot imagine and it makes me feel sad because of the sheer honesty in it. "two years of no, no no" Wow!

Sharon Keely
Date: 8/29/2020 7:29:00 AM

His story haunts me Caren. And the thought that just one kind word or smile along the way could have changed everything.

Kai Michael Neumann

Date: 8/23/2020 3:32:00 AM

Ouch, that hurts and that is what it should do. We are all migrants, but like to forget that.

Sharon Keely
Date: 8/23/2020 7:04:00 PM

Too true Kai.

Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/22/2020 9:02:00 PM

Everything you write is true and heartfelt here... Want to say though that America is not one iota better than Europe. In fact, much worse when it comes to refugees... The 'great FDR,' of course, wouldn't let in refugees from the Nazi Holocaust, if you can imagine that. (The ship's name was the St. Louis, if you want to check it out. 937 lost souls there). They were 'just Jews' --- akin to your 'just Africans.' Thanks for posting this. Shout it to the world!! :) gw

Sharon Keely
Date: 8/23/2020 7:02:00 PM

I remember being incredulous on learning the history of the St. Louis. The unimaginable anguish...no, I don't think any "First World" country can claim moral superiority, despite all of our grandstanding. We are all hoarders of our borders.

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 8/21/2020 12:51:00 PM

You brought me there. A very good write.

Sharon Keely
Date: 8/22/2020 7:47:00 AM

Thanks Kim.

Arturo Michael

Date: 8/21/2020 8:03:00 AM

A commentary poem...real to the bone

Sharon Keely
Date: 8/22/2020 7:47:00 AM

Thanks Arturo.

Susan Woodrow

Date: 8/20/2020 9:36:00 PM

awesome write :)

Sharon Keely
Date: 8/22/2020 7:38:00 AM

I keep imagining them stepping off their boat and saying "what's for dinner?"

Susan Woodrow
Date: 8/21/2020 3:58:00 PM

yea - pity the onlookers who could only think of filming and screaming insults. It is amazing that they are so sure no such horrors could ever happen to them and they just might find themselves in hopeless situations but I guess they will be helped pronto cos they aren't African! Such a shame for humanity.

Sharon Keely
Date: 8/21/2020 6:47:00 AM

Thanks Susan! It's a bitter irony that in the same month Pateh Sabally went into the canal, there was a regime change in his native Gambia - the new government began encouraging young men like him to return. If only he could have known this, perhaps things wouldn't have seemed so bleak.