Ankita Saxena

Photo taken at Otterburn Training Area by Jessica Keating.

“Two signs on a brick wall point the way.

Take it or leave it. It’s as simple as that.

The choice is only yours to make.”

On our fourth night of leaving, this is what they say.

So again we take farewells, leave our shanty shacks.

Two signs on a brick wall point the way.

Today we are ready, today we will stay if they

let us. Our mothers are polished, our children in sacks.

The choice is only theirs to make.

But distanced and dirty we forget to pray.

Like grass weeds on hillsides we gather at camp

looking for two signs on a brick wall to point the way.

But the wind here is unflinching, sky a neutral grey

as if to say: Go back.

The choice was never yours to make.

So we stare back at heaven and each in turn say:

Take us or leave us. It’s as simple as that.

Two signs on a brick wall point the way.

The choice is only yours to make.

(Give or take.)