At Lampedusa’s gate I stand so tall,
Where hopes and dreams have met their fall.
Thousands perished in the treacherous sea,
Seeking refuge, longing to be free.
For some, this island is a sanctuary,
For others, it’s despair and misery.
Descendants from African lands afar,
Driven here by life’s relentless scar.
Fati Dosso and Marie, their hearts were torn,
Rejected, sent back to Libya, forlorn.
Five times they faced incarceration’s sting,
Their dreams shattered, no solace could they bring.
As for myself, I faced rejection’s blow,
January, November, and months that followed.
But in June 2022, I finally arrived,
Yet, a sense of belonging was never derived.
Nightmares consume me in this foreign land,
Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, with her divisive stand.
An electoral campaign fueled by hate,
Anti-migrants and racism, sealing our fate.
Europe, too, wields a weapon unkind,
Against refugees and immigrants, it does bind.
Tunisia and Libya, caught in the storm,
Vulnerable souls, left to suffer and mourn.
The so-called “common European asylum system,”
A failed and deadly mechanism.
It promises safety, protection, and care,
But instead, it perpetuates despair.
But amidst the darkness, a glimmer of light,
Voices rise, demanding what’s right.
Together we stand, united in plight,
For justice, compassion, and a future so bright.
Lampedusa’s gate, witness to our pain,
May it also witness a world humane.
Where refuge is given, and hearts find peace,
A place where acceptance and love never cease.
YAMBIO DAVID 