Refugee

22 Feb 2011

A little girl sits alone
For her no one cares
She sits and waits for nothing
On her eyelash, glisten tears

Her parents are gone
Her brother was killed
He yelled at her not to look
But she watched as his blood spilled

She tried to turn away
She was still but a child
But she was frozen to the spot
Although the weather was mild

She felt so sick
The ground turned red
Her foot slid back a step
Then she turned and fled

She didnt know why
She left her brother lying there
The soldiers were gone, she knew
But she couldnt go back, she wouldnt dare

She left her brother lying so still
Unburied on the street
To be torn and mangled by wild dogs
That was the best fate his body would meet

She ran on afraid
No one paid her any mind
Her shoes gave way; they fell apart
From then on, with leaves, her feet would bind

She ran on alone
Her feet sore and blistered
Her clothes were nearly non-existent
Their seams ripped and tattered

Then the weather changed, the snow came swiftly
With no mercy, no kindness
The little girl gave in and collapsed
Her body limp and lifeless

The night offered no break, no stop
Of this violent winter storm
But all things must come to an end
So slowly, the ground began to warm

The little girl got up again
She had so little strength
But still she struggled on
Rubbing her slight body for warmth

She fought on with a fighting spirit
Finally, she reached the sea
She bent and touched the water once
Then she stood and joined the other refugees

They crowded into a tiny boat
Too small for their large number
A single wrong move could cost a life
No one dared make a blunder

For weeks this wore on
There was so little room
People died of sickness and disease
While others cried of doom

Finally, they reached a sandy shore
The little girl looked around
Everywhere there was just red sand
Apart from a tiny far-away town

A bus came, it crammed everyone in
It took them to a large building
The little girl looked at the tall-wired fences
It towered over her, so frightening

She couldnt understand
What was going on?
She had just wanted to be safe
But now she was in a prison

Why was this happening?
What had they done
The little girl sat and waited
Her fighting spirit was gone

The authorities questioned her
For hours and hours
She asked them, Why? What had she done?
This country, they said, Is ours

But why cant you share?
We want to be safe too
Why cant you share what you have?
It doesnt even have to be new

All I want is a home
I just want to stop running
I just want to be safe
I want my life less frightening

Over and over, the same answer was given
We cannot accept you into our country
You did not come legally
We can only accept true refugees

The little girl cried, This isnt fair
We are true refugees
Why else would we have gone through all we have had to?
Just to get to this beautiful, red country

The little girl lay down on her rickety old bed
No one cared for her, no one
She had fought for nothing
She lay there silently, her fighting spirit gone

Forever it seemed, she sat and waited
Never speaking, never communicating
She ate when told to, moved when instructed
But inside; she was fading, dying

This little girl was no longer a child
A woman she had become
When her home was destroyed,
To Australia she had come

However, here she found nothing
But a prison of desperate souls
Locked away for no reason
Apart for wanting a safe home

These people had survived bombing and raids
They had watched loved ones die
Why would they make up these stories?
Why would they come all the way here, then lie?
 
This little girl had grown up overnight
No childhood had she
Through torment, famine and terror she came
Just to live in a safe country.

So why do people hate them so
The Afghan wars is not their doing
They are the victims here, not us
So why wont we give them the home theyre pursuing?

6 comments:

T Khan said...

A moving eloquent piece, you write with a maturity that belies your age.

Anonymous said...

amazing art of stringing words and feelings together keep inspiring

Ramisa R. said...

You're an AMAZING writer.
This poem is simply beautiful.
Remy

Anonymous said...

This is soo touching!!

Attiya..

Anonymous said...

Salaamz,
I was almost in tears!!!

reply

Anonymous said...

I know simply beautiful!!! i was in tears almost!

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