A Child’s Lament: Geronimo Bay

This poem was inspired by Shaker Aamer, a brother held in Guantanamo Bay without charge.

Remember him in your prayers.


A Child’s Lament: Geronimo Bay

Where is daddy?
When is he coming home?
Can I at least see him?
Or speak on the phone?

Where is Geronimo Bay?
Is there a beach there?
Can he play in the sand?
And go to the fair?

When mummy cries at night,
I try to make her feel better,
“Daddy’s only gone to the beach”
I say to her, ‘til I found the letter.

It was under her pillow,
The address in a stranger’s hand,
It looked crumpled and well read,
The postmark of an alien land.

Tears flow down my cheeks,
Childhood comes to a sudden end,
My father is a prisoner,
It was all make-pretend.

Why did they take him?
Did he do something bad?
Did he kill somebody?
Or make someone sad?

So Geronimo Bay isn’t a beach?
Oh, it’s Guan-ta-na-mo,
My friend said it’s for the worst people,
It’s where terrorists go.

“Mummy, is dad a terrorist?”
She then breaks down again.
Falls to the floor weeping,
In uncontrollable pain.

“Your father’s a good man”
She says, her eyes betraying no lie,
“Then why is he there?” I ask,
“Why left there to die?”

Immediately the tears cease,
A deeper sadness clouds her face.
“It’s because us brothers and sisters are weak,
We’ve become a disgrace”

“We’re in love with this world, little one,
We cannot see beyond our own lives,
It is only for ourselves,
That each one of us strives”

I sit and ponder to myself,
What it was I learnt at madressah,
Didn’t maulana always say,
That we are all one big ummah?

If that is actually true,
Then why is daddy in jail still?
Why doesn’t someone say or do something?
If our brothers and sisters don’t, then who will?


Hang your heads in shame, dear muslims,
And ponder upon The Day,
When this girl is brought in front of you,
And Allah asks “What to you did she say?”

What will we answer?
How will we get out of it?
You think anyone will want to hear of us?
Especially our Beloved Prophet?

~Musaafir
6th July 2007

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