Somewhere in the world

by Stephen Newman | Feb 3, 2020

The mattress is comfortable, our neighbours are kind –

they gave us some spare clothes to wear –

our Father went over to the promised land –

he told us he’d wait for us there.

We packed our bags, we gave all of our belongings –

to the people who lived in our street –

we prepared all our papers, our passports, some food –

with our clothes and the shoes on our feet.

He’d gone on before us, told us we’d start a new life –

he applied for asylum, and was accepted –

but an order came down, from someone high above –

it said “your application has now been rejected.”

They turned us around and they sent us back –

from the airport, where our papers were taken –

to my sister, I said “there is something wrong, –

perhaps our dear Pappa is mistaken.”

So now here we are, my sister is crying –

I am eight but she’s only five –

back in the country from where we were trying to flee –

with our neighbours, keeping us alive.

I am scared but my younger sister is worse –

she is banging her head on the wall –

there is no one to help us until my father succeeds –

in finding a safe place for us all.

Our neighbours, our friends, they want to come with us –

“Please take me with you,” my best friend has said –

my father reminded us, we cannot stay here –

if we do we will surely be dead.

“This country I’ve found means freedom”, he told us –

he showed us the flag he’d unfurled –

but we now cannot go there, we must find another place –

another place, somewhere in the world.