Refugees

“Refugees”
Painting by Sooraj Kannan
From fineartamerica.com

fleeing the bleeding
sectarian sands
the children of war
born from dreams
of the late Arab spring
struggle desperate trails
for the Bosporus isthmus
and Dardanelles straits
crowding fearfully into
mean ill-suited seacraft
of ancient Turk apathy
begging for passage across
the divide of the Hellespont
flesh and blood cargoes
the chattel of schism
internecine iron age
conflicts that shook
and then cracked
the five pillars of Islam

fleeing the bleeding
sectarian sands
the children of war
seek some respite
some tolerant haven
however reluctant
unfriendly and alien
wanting at least
and hoping no more
than a relative peace
a desired sense of safety
among more enlightened
of secular nations
with eyes that can see
past the difference
of cultures and continents