We have been hit with the worst,
Yet we didn’t burst.
We were coerced to linger,
It was a trigger,
Yet we remained grounded like the roots of a tree –
Anchored.

The contagion hindered,
Thwart the world,
Yet we never hurled,
Our hearts as strong as the walls of a house.

A cure unheard,
Submerged and blurred,
Death and distress affirmed. The cries of loss and fear, Shattering our ears.
Yet we didn’t surrender.

We became challengers.
They may be hunters,
But now they have contenders.
They may be butchers,
But we refuse to be the fare.

They may be killers, But we are soldiers.
We became pioneers. We became frontiers.
We smiled through the horrors,
We found light in the darkest corners.
We may falter,
But we believe in a forever,
For we are resilient, For we are resilient.

About the Poet 

Afra Naseer is a Grade 8 student from New Indian Model School, Dubai.

She is a typical school-going 13-year-old girl whose world revolves around studying, sports, homework, and friends,

She love fashion, art, journaling, reading, and sports, and truly believes that she is unique.