A poem written by a Palestinian young man and father from Gaza has been revealed after he tragically perished at sea.
Mahmoud Bakir wrote a poem in February 2021 about why he is fleeing and how he expects his death during the journey by sea.
Mahmoud sank today while attempting to reach Europe, The European Council on Refugees and Exiles revealed.
His poem reads as follows:
Tell the sea after the news of my death
that I wasn’t that thirsty to fill my lungs with his water
that I am only an extremely exhausted man
who suffered all his life long from poverty
who work all day long
to pursue a dignified life for his children
I wanted to flee like all poor people
I went to you, sea
to pull me out of the darkness
to take me to a brighter trajectory
You misunderstood me, sea
I told you that I wasn’t thirsty
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