Since 2000, over thirty-four thousand asylum-seekers have died at sea trying to reach European shores.
This is the Aegean Sea.
This is the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
This is the life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
This is the child who wears a puffy pink coat,
and clutches the life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
These are the shrieks for Baba to come back,
cried by the child wearing a puffy pink coat,
who clutches the life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
This is her father’s body, gone bloated and black.
These are the shrieks for Baba to come back,
cried by the child wearing a puffy pink coat
who clutches the life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
These are the people who tread water, then drown.
This is a father’s body, gone bloated and black.
These are the shrieks for Baba to come back,
cried by the child wearing a puffy pink coat,
who clutches the life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
These are the wet gasps and silenced splashing sounds
as those treading water grow exhausted and drown.
This is a father’s body, gone bloated and black.
These are the shrieks for Baba to come back,
cried by the child wearing a puffy pink coat,
who clutches the life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
This is a woman’s prayer, frantic and deluged with despair,
muddled under gasps and silenced splashing sounds
as those treading water grow exhausted and drown.
This is a father’s body, gone bloated and black
These are the shrieks for Baba to come back,
cried by the child wearing a puffy pink coat,
who clutches the life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
This is the ocean surface, its waves lapping at a woman’s prayer
the only answer she will receive. This is her voice, scared
and muddled beneath the gasps and splashing sounds
of those who tread water, grow exhausted, drown.
This is a father’s body, gone bloated and black.
These are the shrieks for Baba to come back,
cried by the child wearing a puffy pink coat,
who clutches the life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.
Soon, a small girl will be found face down on the shore.
But for now, hear the ocean echo answers to prayers
once wept by the woman who is no longer there.
And can you hear the silenced splashing sounds
as those treading water lose hope and drown?
This is Baba’s body, gone bloated and black.
These are the shrieks for him to come back,
cried by a small girl in her puffy pink coat,
who clutches a life vest that slowly floats
away from the flimsy fishing boat
that sinks in the Aegean Sea.