Watching From the Beach - Diane Scantlebury

Freedom from persecution is all they want
A chance of a new, safe life to live,
But duped by the avarice of traffickers
They’re abused and cast adrift
Onto the hostile sea in a leaky sieve,
Rejected and unwanted by every European nation
Is the certainty of a salt water grave
To be their only hope of liberation?
Desperation drives them to take a risk
That would border on insanity,
To seek refuge from war impoverished homes
And become today’s humanitarian tragedy,
How many more children will it take to drown?
While we stand and watch from the beach,
Because no one wants to put their hands in their pockets
Rescue will always be too late and just out of reach.

Diane Scantlebury