Poem: Border

Grace at dVerse has prompted us to write a poem on the “border”, especially the mental boundaries that borders create. I just went with the flow and couldn’t control my feelings while writing this piece, hence, a little long.

“Play anywhere but do not cross the border”

my mother always warned

when I was a child

but I was a child




but I was a child

I wished to do

what I was refused to




curious to see the aliens

anxious to meet the zombies

eager to learn

how those creatures looked like

the creatures that even scared off my mother

the creatures that needed soldiers with guns

the creatures that lived across the border




To see the creatures that lived across the border

I tricked the soldiers

I fooled my mother

I sneaked through the barbed wire

into the land of Martians




into the land of Martians

I hunted for their UFO

I searched for the beast

I looked for the weapons

which invaded my land

but I was in awe




but I was in awe

with what I saw

the land seemed consistent

the grass was green too

there were houses and buildings

just like on our side




just like on our side

to my disbelief

there was a water stream too

my imagination ran wild

I knew it was stream of poison

or housed their secret weapon

I was waiting for a surprise




I was waiting for a surprise

when I saw aliens in disguise

yes, in disguise

for they wore masks of humankind

and it seemed they too had a mind




this was disgusting

this wasn’t what I expected

I wanted to see their real face

did they have three eyes or

a head split in two




where were their horns or claws

that scared humans on the other side

where were those strong jaws

that ate the birds that flew this side




and why did air feel the same

wasn’t it unusual for this terrain

I was skeptical of some conspiracy

but that was the last straw




that was the last straw

when a child my age I saw

he appeared just like myself

with no obnoxious smell

he played

he laughed

he talked without rebel




I was thoroughly baffled

my mind acted numb

why was this land so precarious

why my mother believed it suspicious

what was the meaning of border




what was the meaning of border

was it just the barbed wire or

was there something even higher

was it just a culmination of thoughts or

a manipulation of feelings

a legacy of hatred or

a game of pure politics




Border…

I’ve been searching for it’s meaning

I’ve been searching for its purpose

I’ve been searching for its significance

ever since I was a child!