A poem by a Rohingya refugee: When I was crossing the Naf

By Khairul Amin,
A Rohingya Poet for the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp

When I was crossing the Naf,
On a small fishing boat
To survive in Bangladesh
It’s almost midnight
A big terror, the bottom broke
The engine turned off
I was out of hope to escape
Nothing in my sight, dark all around
I screamed for help
but none to hear me
My tear changed into red
And, my eyes, bloodshot
I was in fear of death
I wanted to hear someone in the world
But no sound, except the horrors
Of the waves dancing with the boat.
Still, I was on it, taking me somewhere
But I knew not where
I obliged to the helpless breeze
To spread my voice to the world
But she was too weak to carry it
For hours, I tried to jump to escape
Finding no way, exhausted
I was half-dead
My lips were on beading to the Almighty
The boat almost drowned
I was adrift for hours
But I was still in perseverance.
It’s almost dawn–daylight
Suddenly, the boat reached the shore
I was out of thought, jumped at once
Swimming vigorously,
Caught the land
And escaped that night! Alhamdulillah!!