Escape From North Korea

My brother and I planned it

For 7 months

The escape

Finally the night came

I dreamt of this night for years

My heart was pounding out of my chest

10pm 

We headed to the water

I carried my brother's children

I gave them sleeping pills to knock them out

I helped my pregnant wife and my mother

Evading the spotlight

Through a minefield in the dark

Slowly inching our way through

I could hear the guards

The guards by the Yellow Sea

In my mind yelling, "Stop!"

I could hear their pseudo footsteps in the darkness

But I had to keep moving

I had to ignore the voices 

I had to disregard my fear

Soaked with sweat

We reached the getaway boat

I placed the children in grain sacks

Disguising them to look like bags of tools

The Yellow Sea was turbulent 

With fierce winds

The women clutched eggshells 

Hollowed with chili powder and black sand

In case we were stopped by the coast guard

They would throw them in their eyes

My brother and I gripped swords 

One mistake and we would be executed

We slowly sailed the sea

I could see freedom in our sight 

As soon as I felt safe

I went full speed with the currents

Full throttle to freedom

Suddenly a boat was chasing us

Closer and closer and closer

But minutes later we crossed the maritime border 

In that moment 

My tension released 

I felt like I was collapsing

We had escaped