They used to log significant acts
As a matter of routine,
But now it’s unimportant facts
Like using the latrine

The changes are persistent
From camp authorities
Making them most consistent
In inconsistencies

At night-time some one waits until
I’m no longer awake
Then brings me in a sleeping pill
Waking me up to take

Deep inside the wired fence
Is another added feature:
A constipation of common sense
And a diarrhoea of procedure

These verses have been truly based
And clearly written so
That you can have a little taste
Of life at Camp Echo

Moazzam Begg

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.