We only recognized that sea laden

with our mothers’ fear after it raised

its head high and ate the feet of our homelands…

It crashed near our homes,

cast onto us

its waves heavy with black tar

and took our fish…

They said the war was coming.

It did not come with its soldiers

but sent us its ammunition.

We knew the battle could have killed us

without descending on our land.

The grandmothers prayed that the oil would vanish

and the world prayed to God that He wouldn’t answer their prayers.