Beyond Borders

By Oluwagbemisola O. Lawal

This collection of poems titled "Beyond Borders" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of migration, the challenges and opportunities, and the hope and despair accompanying it. The poems in this collection speak to the illegality of illegal migration, the dangers of irregular migration and the vulnerability of smuggled migrants at risk of abuse and exploitation.

The collection also delves into the nuances of asylum, exploring justified and unjustified asylum requests using powerful imagery and evocative language, the poems appeal to judges who decide on asylum cases. 

"Beyond Borders" is a powerful and timely collection of poems that speak on contemporary political issues and the deep longing for a better life. It reminds us that our common humanity will always transcend borders in a world that seeks to erect barriers and divide us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: COMMUNE WRITERS INT'L
• Release date: Jul 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9791222422336

Book preview

A Father’s Lament

The sea that took my sons away,

Was once a source of hope and play,

But now it's where my heart doth lay,

With my dear sons who couldn't stay.

Through Niger and through Libya's land,

They sought a life they couldn't stand,

In search of hope, they took a stand,

But ended up in Death's cold hand.

My heart is heavy, my soul is torn,

My sons are gone, forever gone,

Their dreams and hopes, forever shorn,

By a journey that left them forlorn.

Oh youths, my sons' fate beware,

The journey's not for those who dare,

For in the sea, Death doth ensnare,

And leave behind a heart in despair.

Stay in your land, and make it grow,

For there's a future you can sow,

A life of hope, a life of glow,

That death or sea could never overthrow.

Oh sea, oh sea, you took my all,

My sons, my hope, my heart's own call,

But I'll keep hoping, standing tall,

And warn others of your deadly thrall.

For my sons' sake, I'll speak out loud,

And tell the world of your dark shroud,

A journey that's not for the proud,

But one that leaves behind a mourning crowd.

In Ten Minutes

In ten short minutes, fate will decide,

The future of a man, who's struggled and tried,

To escape the horrors of his homeland,

And find refuge in a far-off land.

He stands before the judge, with fear in his heart,

Praying for mercy, for a brand new start,

His eyes plead for compassion and grace,

But he knows the decision could go either way.

The weight of his past bears down on his