EUGENE ELIRA
How much of our independence
is dependent on countries
coming to our shores
to instruct our freedom, redrawing
boundaries and telling us
what we must find acceptable
when to sit small, to be quiet
and to see ourselves as inconsequential
If the oceans heats up any more
we must learn to live with the storms
bite our tongues, beg for support
and hail them as saviours
ignoring the climate they create
or lose favor, face sanctions
allow them to move pieces on the board–
Pawn to D4
we don’t have the legs to stand on
or arms to stop quarrels from reaching
our waters, we don’t own
these bodies of water or airspace
we can be toppled with one tomahawk–
Pawn to C5, we maneuver
our tongues to defend
our sovereignty
that can be blacklisted, embargoed
arbitrarily given a death sentence
blown out off the water–
Bishop H3, our position
has made us religious.
We pray for oil, for goods for our people to move freely and so
we swallow our concerns
and pray it’s not our bodies
fished out the waters–
we check for a pulse each morning
Eugene Elira is a Bahamian poet of Haitian descent . A progeny of dirt and divinity drawing inspiration from the commonality of the diapora. His poetry has appeared in Moko Magazine, Poui, Ponciana Paper Press, Museum Association of the Carribbean online exhibition amongst others.
