each one of us is in a different place

I keep thinking about what? is happening to us
are we going to die
God forbid

are we going to arrive
if we arrive what will happen
this is what we are worried about

we were always afraid
there was always war
where we lived

and once three shells fell
on our neighbourhood
but luckily nothing happened

we didn't know about these things
now that it's happened
we know ?what war is now we know

men were taken ?
against their will
they would have made my brothers ?

go with them by force
who would work
if my brothers had to go with them

we would be left ?
without money
or anything?

we were living well with each other
but now it's all destroyed
each one of us is in a different place?

in the boat they told us
you have to throw away your bags
you cannot take anything?

I wasn't seeing anything
I was sitting in the middle
the guys would say

a wave is coming



From a Unicef Video on Facebook of 13-year-old Mustapha arriving in Lesbos, Greece, as a refugee from Syria, 5 November 2015. Submitted by Laura McKee.