With the coming of the second world war
many eyes in imprisoned Europe turned hopefully, or desperately
toward the freedom of the Americas
Lisbon became the great embarkation point
But not everybody could get to Lisbon directly
And so a torturous, roundabout refugee trail sprang up
Paris to Marseilles
across the Mediterranean to Oran
Then, by train or auto or foot, across the rim of Africa
to Casablanca in French Morocco
Here, the fortunate ones, through money or influence or luck
might obtain exit visas and scurry to Lisbon
And from Lisbon to the New World
But the others wait in Casablanca
And wait and wait...
and wait