Nameless

March 9, 2020 ✍ Poetry poem unrhymed

Probal Basak, 31, from India, started his career as a journalist working with Press Trust of India, Business Standard, covering mostly socio-political issues. Currently employed as an officer with Department of Information & Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal, he also writes poetry and his recent works have been published in journals like Dissident Voice, News Verse News, Setu.

Nameless

Oh World!
On trial you are
by born refugees, neonates of the camp.

Homeless Ammi
rode rickety boat to flee,
crossed the bloody sea
with hope to lit life in lee.
And you, the tongue-tied,
lying on your beach bed,
wrapped in cozy swathe
closed eyes to sunbathe.

You never tried to remove blood stain,
never touched Ammi's travail in pain.
You always looked the other way,
and inside war-torn uterus, I felt at bay.

Oh World!
Hang your head in shame,
you can't even spare me a name.

Author's Note: "This is about the born Rohingya refugees of the camp at Kutulpalang in Cox's Bazar, many of whom do not even have a name as the article in the link here points out.

Refugee babies born with nowhere to call home

The article inspired me to write the poem."

More by Probal Basak → More poetry → Full issue →