HEY BLACK GIRL

Fisa fisa, the words spoken

To a dozen of young girls,

Black girls, coloured girls, white girls.

Far from home, obzar one dinar

Your most cherished meal with a

Salty H2O.

Black girl, get here!

Live here, sit here, come here and

Never leave here.

Close your eyes and swim through

The waves,

Waves of sweet wine and welcome.

Beaming through the window is the sun

Sun of hope,

Calling you to greener pastures

But black girl, those aspirations

Are too high.

Hey girl, “you’ll get there in two weeks”.

Two weeks that seem like 20 months

Plus 5 days, 15 hours, 3 minutes, and 10 seconds.

Hey girl, it was only a nightmare

A nightmare in broad daylight.

Andrà tutto bene black-girl,

Piano piano black girl.

Niente is piano, niente is bene,

The orchid flower smell of the shower gel

Soaks you black girl, grips your neck

And take your breath.

Tremble black girl, your tears sip through

Dig through, and lives freely in your mind

Overcrowded with every bit of detail.

Be assured, black girl,

Your home is here, and you're here to stay

We can’t fight your demons, sweet girl.

But hey, black girl

Andrà tutto bene

Sei forte black girl.

Written by Hannah imordi at the poetry workshop

UWC Adriatic

Via Trieste 29, Duino, Italy