How to Become an Emigrant
Live where barrel bombs destroy your home, kill your parents, wife
Hear rumors that the army suspects you don’t obey their kill orders
Pay the smuggler your black market $2,000 to get to Greece
Acquire a small backpack–in it put
one extra shirt, one pair of pants
plastic bag to keep them dry
waterproof box for bandages, cigarettes, matches,
birth certificate, army papers
3 lemons to prevent dehydration
box of dates–2 per day for 10 days
painkillers in case your back goes out again
life jacket for when your boat gets rammed or sinks
sunscreen for days you spend bobbing in the sea
a laser pointer–your boat travels at night; if it sinks
rescuers may find you by its light
Pray