[Read] Hot Desk Extracts: Ronia Ibrahim - This is The River

As part of The Wheeler Centre’s Hot Desk Fellowship program, Ronia worked on This is The River (working title), a poetry collection on the many modes of storytelling that shape the Migrant identity. Exploring hybrid and multilingual forms of poetry, the collection excavates history, memory and time whilst dismantling systemic ideas of citizenship and belonging.

The Arrival

When they arrived,
They were asked to present their papers
They were asked questions such as
Who are you? And    
Where are you from?
Then they were asked what they thought about the government
They were asked about the weather
They were asked what their favourite Robbie Williams song was
They were asked to empty their bags
and take out their books
wallets and
hand sanitisers
They were asked what the jar contained
They were asked what achar was
They were asked if they spoke English
They were given an interpreter
They were asked by the interpreter, what the jar contained
They replied, achar.

The interpreter was then asked to ask them questions such as
Why are you here?
What kind of body do you carry?
Where did you burn your memories?
They were asked by the interpreter if they understood the law of the land
They were asked if they understood the words “penalty” and “risk” and “aesthetic”
Then they were asked to remove their headgears
goggles
utility packs
and hiking boots
until they only had fingerless gloves on, and
They were asked, What is your story?

But their story was locked. So when this was finally understood, the questions were stopped. They were given permission to reclaim their achar and re-don their headgears, goggles, utility packs and hiking boots. Then they followed the light at the end of the terminal. After, they went to the nearest McDonalds. They had fries and large Fantas for dinner.