Greenlane Poetry

Harraga

Who are those who burn?

They burn the driftwood of the alien shore
plastic wrapping of their meagre goods makes
acrid smoke of cooking fires in camps
they burn the siphoned petrol in their lamps

They burn their papers at the border posts
or scorch their hands that none can correlate
records of the dissidents or voices
who do not share the edicts of the state

they burn to see their children clothed and fed
but die and leave them anguished and alone
in countries where humanity is dead
in shattered cities whence the parents fled

they burn with longing and are brave and dare
take sluggish skiffs top-heavy in the swell
the unkind sea is eager to embrace
the poorer ones dependant on their care

Others burn with anger where immigrants are housed
they burn hotels where refugees would stay
pray Christ please help please help them when
welcomed here by gallant Manvers Men

they burn the cross to show they love their God
they burn ID that nothing can be told
they burn the living soil to sterilize the ground
they burn martyrs as in pyres of old
they burn forests for the profit from the herds
they burn the stubble in the autumn field
they burn for justice which is seldom found