“Seeking asylum”

St George stares out of the hotel window.
His ears are filled with sun,
family, orange trees and childhood. Mama
has been telling her stories of Palestine.
She leaves out the occupying forces.
He looks down at twisted white faces
but he doesn’t understand
what or why they are shouting.
At the front he sees a boy
look up from his Baba’s shoulders.
He would like to have a friend.
Mama has been telling stories of Baba too.
She says he is following them from Syria
and shows him on the map.
But all the map is telling him is
‘Here Be Dragons’.

Part of a poetic triptych relating to boat people, St George as asylum seeker, and our shameful response:

1. “Us English”
2. “Seeking asylum”
3. “Right justified?”