(inspired by Calais, France– December 2015)
Refugee
“I took a few steps and saw them, guys wearing uniforms with their dogs off the leash, carrying shiny, polished holstered guns…And the heavy pounding on their bodies, their bones scraping on the flooring, the thud made by the impact of their skulls on the steps, I can still hear all these sounds, all I have to do is close my eyes and I can see it all again…”
— Adam, À l’abri de rien
He tried to escape from Calais
in the dead of the night,
murky channels a dead giveaway
to his dark silhouette.
They found him in the hooded van
caught red-glow in flashlights
going deep under surveillance
from authorities.
They beat him, beat him to the ground
his head bloodied like steak,
raw juices flowing rivers
left to blacken on pavement.
Shattered fucks on walkie-talkies
framed it as self-defense,
It was an accident, they said
headlines well-justified.
But what they had missed that night
inside of the Jungle
was the little part of his mind
seeking love in refuge.
© Rebecca Goes Rendezvous, 2022
Rebecca Goes Rendezvous 
So much sadness and horror, but this is a beautiful poem, which is why I am liking this post…
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Yes, this poem is more somber than what I usually write, but important all the same. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Powerful scene and conclusion. Well written.
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I appreciate it, Rebecca. Thanks for reading.
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Very intense indeed and beautifully crafted. You don’t do enough of these Rebecca 😉
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Thank you very much, Leighton! I have several drafts of other travel poems waiting to be edited. Perhaps instead of the two-per-year I publish, maybe I’ll slip in an extra before this year’s end!
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I’m torn between deciding if this is a beautiful poem or a horrifying poem. I guess it’s a little bit of both. You said a lot through very little words, and it came out eerily beautiful, Rebecca!
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I appreciate it, Justin! Sometimes, less is more, and I’m glad that the sparse language captured your attention.
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It totally has! Thank you for that!
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Very beautiful composition. Very well written . Keep writing, dear! Liked it a lot.
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Thank you!
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great work. right now, i think all our hearts are breaking. what humans can do to other humans…
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Very true, Andy. I actually wrote and set this post to publish prior to all that’s happening in the Ukraine. Definitely a coincidence, and definitely a sobering one.
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Such a raw piece of art! The goal of writing and publishing a poem is to provoke an emotion in the reader, and you’ve certainly have done it, Rebecca! Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Yes, thank you, Aiva. This is a darker poem than what I usually write, but I’m glad that it moved you.
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A beautiful, deep poem, Rebecca.
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Thank you very much!
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You are an amazing poet Rebecca. Such an beautiful and very well written.
Have a great weekend Anita
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Thanks, Anita! I appreciate the compliment.
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Well done
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Thank you!
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