Refugees
in the heart of fear
we have to live
with dignity
the time we have left.
We have to hold on to the water
for the foreigner…… to the dust
of he who is looking for life
under the rubble….. to the faith
of those who love each other
as a political act
and as a natural act
as human love
sweating
over the flags
over the slogans
over the political parties
over the nations
Love that is taking off the clothes
of despair
with the agitated dignity of those who ask
another minute to allow
cats walking on the walls
children walking in the parks,
all the things
that we call life
and are, at this moment,
everyday miracles.
Refugees
in the heart of fear
we must hold on to the dignity
of those who do not have the weapons
nor the force
nor an army:
………………………they are the brave,
those who prefer
dying like humans
to surviving
like dark animals.
The few hours we have left to live
we have to expend them on the top of love.
We have to fully live
until the end,
so death
can find us
next to each other,
truly alive.
.
.
.
The Spanish version of this poem is part of the book Cincinnati, a personal story, published in Mexico in 2018.
About the picture: Demonstrators march with a banner that reads «Ukraine—Peace, Russia—Freedom,» in Moscow on February 24, 2022, after Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Manuel Iris
