A search has been launched for the author of a love letter, believed to be a refugee, found washed up on a beach in Greece.
The love poem was found by a Swedish journalist on the Samos coast line where many refugees arrive in boats fleeing war, persecution and poverty mainly in the Middle East and Africa.
Mr Erik Wiman, who reports for the Swedish tabloid newspaper Aftonbladet, initially presumed the message was from human smugglers after discovering it in a waterproof bag.
Upon translating it, however, the newspaper was surprised to find the note was a tenderly written poem, addressed to “My Rose.”
The letter reads: “My Rose. I promise you, I will love you till the last minute of my life. I promise you, no one will be in my life but you. I promise you, I will not let anything separate us no matter what it is.”
The newspaper has since launched an appeal to find the mystery writer, who calls himself Hamody – a shortened form of Mohammad or Ahmad.
They are asking people to share the letter, originally written in Iraqi Arabic, on social media in the hope it will soon find its intended recipient.
The letter was found by Mr Wiman on 29 October while he was reporting from the Mediterranean.
“She could be anywhere, and that’s why I’m trying to use the internet to trace her,” said Mr Wiman, The Telegraph reports.
He added after reporting on Syria since 2011 the letter had struck a chord with him: “It’s a small story in a very big on going story, which is the refugee crisis.
“Sometimes you come across stories and you can’t let them go."
The translated letter in full:
My Rose
I promise you , I will love you till the last minute of my life
I promise you , no one will be in my life but you :P
I promise you , I will not let anything separate us no matter what it is
I promise you , your value will not change no matter what happens
I promise you , I will be by your side till the last breath
She is for me and I am for me
She loves me and I love her
She adores me and I adore her
..Common it is enough romance now
She is awesome when she laugh
When she makes me feel jealous
When she is fixing her hair
When she gives me a kiss
To whom I give my secret and die for
:* This is a kiss from me
From the humble the lovely Hamody
This is a kiss to my teddy bear
