One Is 16 And The Other 18 Poem by RIC BASTASA

the police officer arrested them
last night while they were strolling on the park
and this is the story:

he asks for their names and they say they have none
he asks from where they come from and they say
they do not really know
he asks them where they are going and they tell him
they are still undecided
he asks them what is in their bags and they say they are just nothing
he asks them some more and they say
they have nothing to say of themselves

they come from nowhere
and they are heading nowhere

and the police handcuffed them
these vagrants
these potential terrorists of this rural place
where the people still love peace

and this afternoon the police officer brings them all to me
and he tells me about the whole story
about his questions and their answers

and i am looking at them and they look at me
straight in my eyes
with dignity and without shame
with all pride

that they are telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

that this one whose age is 16 and this other one whose age is 18
are simply talking about
themselves
and about us
and about the policeman himself

and surely, i agree

we have no names, we do not know where we come from and we do not
really know where we are going

we are all like that, in the strictest sense of the word, except
for our little pretensions


and so i ordered the policeman to release them all
and let them be
themselves
and let them go in peace and finish their journey with all ease