Libya To Italy Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Libya to Italy

Read of ship in the sea
Turns-over, capsizing.

Hundreds, all blacks; Africans
Children and the old; pregnant.

Feel going to movies
Flashback, memories.

Land-Rover, we, ride in
Driver, Imposter-Khomeini
Something’s wrong, we stop
A pulley, a washer, gearbox

In cold dark, ice night-time;
For the five, I am in charge
My wife and, friend’s wife
Innocents, daughter, son.

Suddenly a fire in distance
Then bullets, come across

“What is this? ” sits in mind.
Too busy to ask it; no reply.
I hear later on; it sheds light
Fear, thanks, are in thoughts.

“The dhow had cigarettes
Smuggled; captain set fire:
‘Better to burn them to the ground
Don’t give a single to the guards.’”

The rest is history…
We escaped, are alive.

But exiles, refugees, immigrants
Each word lives; hanging mirror.