Ode To Victor Hugo -91 'the Miserable' constantly Alert Poem by Freeyad Ibrahim

by Freeyad Ibrahim

Jean Valjean's turn to escape
came towards the end of tat fourth year
His fellow-prisoners helped him as was customary
He got away,
And for two days drifted in freedom through the country-side
If to be tracked in freedom, to be constantly on the alert,
To tremble at every sound,
to be frightened of everything:
A smoking chimney,
A passing man,
A barking dog,
A galloping horse,
A striking clock;
To be frightened of the daylight
because one can see,
And of darkness
because one cannot;
To be frightened of the road,
The pathway,
And the thicket;
to be afraid to sleep.
On the evening of the second day, he was caught.
He had neither eaten nor slept for thirty-six hours.

FRYAD HUGO
the Ntherlands