The Refugee
The little girl was born in a place
Desolate and deserted, dark and dank
The memories of her childhood encompassed
With the dark hue of suffering and pain
The sweetness emanating from
A lullaby was unknown to her;
Her ears still rangwith the sounds of
Blasts that shook the city to the core
Her pupils, black as coal,
Captured those of the viewer before her…
Swirling perpetually, rewinding the scenes
Of horror that played before them not long ago…
Her heart beat heavily every single day,
Weeping for the little joys
She had cherished; they had all
Been snatched away, shattering it bit by bit
Vivid memories floated before her,
Of the big oak tree she’d called her haven,
The one with the thick branches she gleefully climbed on,
Until one day, they chopped it away…
Of the brother who she adored,
The one who raised her, kept her alive,
Lived by her side day and night,
Until one day, they took him away…
Of the parents she never saw, All but once in a photo,
Of them standing together happy and safe;
Her mother’s hand placed over her unborn daughter,
And her father’s in her brother’s;
Until one day, they were nowhere to be seen…
She grew up too soon,
An adult by ten, she learnt to fend for herself…
The cruel world had imposed upon her
That she shall not hope, nor shall she smile
Every day a rotten curse,
For a crime committed she knew not when
Every night a dangling sword, over her head,
Threatening to fall, taking her life once and for all…
But then came the forbidden taste
Of hope, washing over her,
In the form of the angel clothed
In white, an advocate of peace and love…
A hand extended, a few words
Of kindness delivered to the aching heart,
Light up it did, for here was a woman
Closest to her mother as ever can be
She walked withher by the walls of hatred,
Of intolerance, of inhumanity,
Until she reached the gateway that opened
To the bridge of hope, leading to the land beyond….
The one filled with the fragrance
Of flowers, of nature, singing the tunes
Of Harmony and kindness; tears rolled down her cheeks,
As she turned back to thank her guardian angel…
The woman was long gone,
but the words she’d said
Resonated within the girl’s heart…
Deep within my heart, I have a wish,
To break down the walls of hatred,
To build more bridges,
To shatter the mirrors fixed on the walls,
And to replace them with windows instead…
To save humanity from fading away,
Into the void, never to be seen or heard of again….
And I shall not rest until I know
That my goal is achieved, and every child like you
Has a reason to smile…
About The Poet
Hanan Abdul Jaleel is a student of Grade XII and is studying in New Indian Model School, Girls, Dubai.
She currently holds the post of School Head Girl and has been an active member of the Student Council for the past two years, as Deputy Chief Editor of the School Magazine.
Her passion lies in writing, which she believes was instilled in her due to the encouragement of reading as a pastime from a young age by her mother. She has always tried to explore the nuances of human society in her writing, trying to explore and experiment her skills each time she puts pen to paper.
She is thankful to her School and her teachers for nurturing her talent and helping it grow. Besides being an aspiring writer, Hanan is also a passionate orator who loves to participate in various competitions held at school and outside.