Refugee Week June 2020 - poems from Write to Life
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| Original artwork by Haymanot Tesfa |
I
mentor with Write to Life, the creative writing group of Islington based charity
Freedom from Torture. The uncertainty and anxiety of lockdown is very similar
to the alienation experienced by refugees when they first arrive in the UK and
are struggling to come to terms with loss and to integrate in a new culture.
Asylum seekers are not allowed to work, are usually housed in basic
accommodation far from anyone they might know, and several have to survive on
vouchers that must be spent at specific shops that may be some way from their
homes. They have no idea when they will be released from the limbo in which
they find themselves or when they can begin to rebuild their lives.
Herewith four
poems to give you an idea of the refugee experience.
A
Roof
by
Haydeh Ravesh
I’m
dreaming
I’m
dreaming of a roof
A
stable one
Stronger
than cardboard.
A
roof that covers
My
fears and insecurity
A
roof which
In
the cold nights, wet and windy days
Can
protect me.
A
roof as big as
My
love for life
A
roof that stops
My
worries for the future.
A
permanent one
Under
which I can
Feel,
think and talk about
Love
and my desires.
But
my roof is only
The
sky and its clouds
Dark
and without any stars
My
roof spreads as far as the horizon
But
neither covers or protects me.
Extract
from What is Love?
by
Kayitesi
What
is love?
Love
is the thing that keeps you awake night and day
Love
can be the best feeling in the world – and the worst
It
can tear you apart, make you question
Everything
you know
I
loved my family so much
That
I did not give them words of comfort before I left
My
love for my children was unconditional
I
could not imagine that I would spend years
Not
sharing and showing my love for them.
What
is love?
My
love started shrinking slowly, bit by bit
After
I realised that I was not with my family
The
love I feel towards other people is little
It
cannot replace the love for my family.
Sometimes
I do not love myself
I
blame myself for having left.
What
is love?
‘This
is love’ my heart replied to me
‘Listen
closely and you will see.
Love
is not loud
It
is a quiet sensation.
It
brings you peace.
It
lives and breathes, it is alive.
It
will guide your path, straight and true.
‘Be
prepared for love
It
will dispel your doubts
Cast
out your worries and fears
Renew
your faith and self-esteem
allowing
you to fulfil your dreams
That
is love.’
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| Original artwork by Haymanot Tesfa |
The
Voice of the Wind
By
Aso
I
can’t see your face
When
your eyes close forever
But
this blustery spring
Has
a sound
Which
brings cold tears to my lap
It
blows your final breath to my ears
The
wind helps me embrace your last heartbeat
I
can’t hold your hand at the end of the road
My
dear
But
the wind brings me your perfume
I
can’t talk to you and listen to your soul
But
the wind carries your whisper
Your
weeping and your loneliness
I
am with the sound of the wind right now
And
will be with you forever.
Why
I Am Here
By
Jade Amoli Jackson
I
know why I left
The
lion will leave you alone
After
it has eaten a big lunch
But
a man with a gun
Will
not spare your life.
That
man has no heart
And
will kill a person
In
the click of a finger
I
left my country
To
save my life
That
is why I am here.
Originally published in Islington Tribune/Camden New Journal