Mozambique is the wealthiest country in the world

..........

you hear that mozambique is the wealthiest country in the world

you travel there any way you can

by sea by land underground like a mole

once there you are welcomed by two wolfhounds

thrown into a reception centre you eat mud choke on it yet survive

shit in a hole with a miscellaneous collection of others who also heard

that mozambique is the wealthiest country in the world

you are labelled as imprisoned labelled

as an unidentified moving object cooped up in there four years

one day you break out

the local police gives the press your mugshot reporters confirm you are dangerous

their neighbour believes them and double-locks the door

police cars flare up, work double shifts chieftains put a price on your head

gangs are looking everywhere for you

the peaceful mozambiquan kiosk operator checks his sbr in his secret drawer

and believes that you are now a dangerous man

you believe it too

Translated by Despina Pirketti

Giórgos Christodoulides | Selected Poems (1996-2021)

ΟΝΕΙΡΟΤΡΙΒΕΙΟ - DREAM MILL