Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Pantoum for Abdulfatah Hamdallah by Jessica Slote

Abdulfatah Hamdallah, whose body was found on Sangatte beach, near Calais.


PANTOUM FOR ABDULFATAH HAMDALLAH

by jessica slote

 
Drowned Sudanese refugee identified as Abdulfatah Hamdallah
Believed to have made Channel crossing after asylum refused in France
Drowned while trying to cross Channel in inflatable dinghy with shovels for oars
Risked dangerous crossing for better life than “horror” he used to live in


Believed to have made Channel crossing after asylum refused in France
Before setting out, told cousin in Calais that he might not see him again
Risked dangerous crossing for better life than “horror” he used to live in
French MP blames tragedy on UK policy: asylum claims must be made on British soil


Before setting out, told cousin in Calais that he might not see him again
Originally from West Kordofan, Sudanese state bordering on war-torn Darfur
French MP blames tragedy on UK policy: asylum claims must be made on British soil
Dropped out of school in 2014 to go work in Libya with his brothers


Originally from West Kordofan, Sudanese state bordering on war-torn Darfur
“thought it was meaningless to study; nothing to do in Sudan, that’s why he left”
Dropped out of school in 2014 to go work in Libya with his brothers
Two years in Libya working at car wash; made it to France via Italy; living rough in camps


“thought it was meaningless to study; nothing to do in Sudan, that’s why he left”
last words in Arabic on FB: “on palm of fate we walk, don’t know what’s written”
Two years in Libya working at car wash; made it to France via Italy; living rough in camps
Hundreds of messages of condolence under post, after his body was found


last words on FB in Arabic: “on palm of fate we walk, don’t know what’s written”
Drowned while trying to cross Channel in inflatable dinghy with shovels for oars
Hundreds of messages of condolence under post, after his body was found
Drowned Sudanese refugee identified as Abdulfatah Hamdallah


Jessica Slote is a writer and performer, co-founder of Loretta Auditorium, a collaborative of theatre artists. Her book, Loretta Auditorium Presents The Body of Loretta, published by Fly By Night Press, NYC.

The Body of Loretta: Three Plays on The Pornography of Power, Free Will on the Free Market, and Arousal in the Public Realm. Part memoir of a life in the experimental theatre scene of New York City’s Lower East Side in the 1980s-90s; part account of the collective creation of three plays in three cities—NYC, Berlin, and Napoli; and the three plays of the Loretta trilogy.

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