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Our sobbing 
pierced the cloudless sky
No words came
only the guttural cries
of abandoned children

Our anguish drew scorn
from our captors
“Fools! 
You’ve been here a lifetime
Don’t tell us you’re homesick now”

Pent-up grief rushed through us
Like a river
swollen with salted rain
swallowing its banks
whole

Their lye-soaked mocking, a dam
“Yeah, tell us you want to go home”
lie-soaked words
“when there’s no home waiting for you”

Oh
     God
     Please
     Act

          God

Gasping

for breath

we remember 

a place we’ve never lived

and we know 

our captors remember 

our home, too