JEREMIAD: "THE BACKWAY" BY MIC WARRIOR

They say Europe sweet like honey in a jar,

But they don't tell you about 

The scars from the desert to the war,

No visa no papers just faith in the stars hoping that boat will float them far.

They sell dreams in whispers just take the backway you will make it,bruh"

But they don't show the bones in the sand,

Or the family that cry waving one last hand,

You see the boat is packed,

The night is black,

One foot in the water,

No turning from Gambia to Spain that's the track and if the waves you might not come back.

No one tell you about the chains or the prison,

The beating,the cold or the decision made in rhythm,

They paint paradise with a silver tongue.

The price is high when your life just begun,

Mother pray,

Father wait,

Sisters hope you don't meet the fate back home not broken just need repairs, 

Why building another's when your roots  are there?

So rise up young soul it's time we shife,

Turn our pain into purpose

Our struggle to gift .

Or child of africa strong and brave your worth is more than what you crave,

Build here,grow roots, 

Stands talls and say we can make our future by our own way.

© MIC WARRIOR

-Gambia

This poem, _“The Backway,”_ is a stark, emotional critique of the perilous irregular migration routes from Africa (especially Gambia) to Europe, exposing the harsh realities hidden behind the allure of a better life abroad. It contrasts the sweet promises of Europe—“Europe sweet like honey in a jar”—with the brutal truths of the journey: desert hardships, dangerous sea crossings, exploitation, imprisonment, and often death. The poem highlights how dreams are sold by traffickers, but the true costs—lost lives, broken families, and suffering—are concealed. It calls attention to the emotional toll on loved ones left behind and challenges the notion that success must be found elsewhere, urging African youth to recognize their own value and potential at home. The tone shifts from grim warning to hopeful empowerment, encouraging young people to build their future in their own land, transforming pain into purpose and reclaiming agency. The poem’s rhythm and language blend colloquial speech (“bruh”) with vivid imagery and a powerful message of self-determination, making it both a lament and a rallying cry for African resilience and pride.