A Borderline Case (Poetry Monthly)

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Sat, 06 Feb 2016
  • 4371 reads
14 comments
 
A photo – monochrome, gilt framed;
a downtown street in Dubai.
 
A figure strewn, like an old, grey blanket by the kerb;
in early morning sun, his shadow sleeps beside him
more soundly than he. His pillow – a sack 
of sweet potatoes.
 
A T-shirt says, ‘Save Our Seals’. A pair of cut-down jeans;
one leg severed at the knee. Laced between his fingers –
prayer  beads, and at his shoulder, Jumeirah Beach Hotel
looms large in all it splendour; 
 
and but a stone’s throw away, Sonapur...a work camp – 
conditions so bad its existence denied by any map,  but where he 
and others like him are interred.  Migrants from India, Bangladesh  
and China; passports forcibly seized at the border
 
those in search of a better life will not find it in the UAE –
where class divides – an impenetrable  line, more impossible
to cross than any man-made frontier, mountain range,
ocean, river or sea.
 
A three-tier society; the topmost echelon – indigenous Emiratis  
then, of course, the necessary evil of ex-pats and at the bottom...
men like him who raised it from the sand, pillar on pillar, brick
on brick, stone on stone.
 
A photo – monochrome, gilt-edged;
 
a downtown street in Dubai,  leading him, 
no matter where he heads...either north, south, east, or west...
further from home. 
Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Travel
Philosophy

Comments

Submitted by Pat G on

Powerful commentary. 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thank you, Pat. Gratified you thought so.

Tina

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

A moving picture of those who become individual nomads, often working so hard as you indicate but very hard to belong anywhere, for the border between people can be   more impossible to cross than any man-made frontier, mountain range, ocean, river or sea. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Rhiannon, thank you so much for your indepth and intuitive thoughts on this; every word, unfortunately rings so true.

Tina

 

Submitted by loquaciousicity on

A stark portrait... the same divisions evrywhere, though perhaps not quite as crass!

A fine poem!!

Terry

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Obliged, Terry. Many thanks.

Tina

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

All those tiny details make a moving bigger picture.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Appreciated, Vera...no end.

Tina

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

A simple image speaks volumes. Some things never seem to change, summed up in a snap shot.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Exactly so, more's the pity.

Many thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Tina

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Bangladeshies are treated badly and seriously ripped off in Mumbai, seem they are no better off in Dubai.

Your first stanza really struck a chord with me . . . an every day scene in many Indian cities.

Poingent and well constructed piece.

Ed x

Calais too!crying

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Have never visited Mumbai, but my late daughter did, some years since.  Her observations, much like yours.

I was, however in the UAE, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Fujeirah, in the early eighties, and then again in the mid nineties.  The divide between classes, and the squallor of the migrant workers' camps, sadly, not improved.  

Many thanks for reading and for your inspired comments.

Tina

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Can't believe I nearly missed this one Tina,

Sadly what you've written sums up the situation all too well. What's going on in the world? So many sad and innocent lives at risk...it's so insane.

A great one for the poetry monthly. Well done.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

What indeed, Jenny?

Thank you so much for reading.  It is always the innocent ones who suffer, unfortunately.

Hope your Sunday, at least, is a peaceful one.

Tina