Description: ruins of homes in Sa'ada Yemen. Children playing in the foreground. Image source: ICRC.
“Shore birds take flight
Showing how to leave a threatening place”
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The following student poems address the current war in Yemen and the related humanitarian disaster.
Patriate
I am a boy torn between two worlds
One side says loyalty … the other says, “why us”
Confronted by the heartache of both
One side says loyalty … the other says, “why us”
Confronted by the heartache of both
I move along parallel lines that never intersect
Enough reasons for me to hate my life
A choice that is not a choice who was it that covered our voice
Enough reasons for me to hate my life
A choice that is not a choice who was it that covered our voice
Shore birds take flight
Showing how to leave a threatening place
I am stuck on this shallow lake
Waves whisper, “give up, get away”
Waves of the desired influence
Showing how to leave a threatening place
I am stuck on this shallow lake
Waves whisper, “give up, get away”
Waves of the desired influence
Trust yourself we are not exotic creatures
Alien to your own hopes
We have been introduced incorrectly
Our culture painted black by those without culture
Heartbeats take us home
Alien to your own hopes
We have been introduced incorrectly
Our culture painted black by those without culture
Heartbeats take us home
Spirit
A missile hits the landscape,
The hard bones underneath my thick skin shake
They shake while I watch the town break,
A missile hits the landscape,
The hard bones underneath my thick skin shake
They shake while I watch the town break,
It’s a struggle that I cannot overtake,
It screams so loud causing an outbreak
How will this come when my country is wide awake,
How will a young man escape?
It screams so loud causing an outbreak
How will this come when my country is wide awake,
How will a young man escape?
Only one solution remains,
As my knees are to the floor,
Hands to the ceiling, Eyes shut,
Mouth is speaking, and I pray …
As my knees are to the floor,
Hands to the ceiling, Eyes shut,
Mouth is speaking, and I pray …
Pray…
Heartbeats take us home
My sprit calmly bows into prayer
Dilutes disappointment
Heartbeats take us home
My sprit calmly bows into prayer
Dilutes disappointment
Mosques became homes,
Homes for those finding a place of peace
Faith prepares us to live between surrender and hope
Homes for those finding a place of peace
Faith prepares us to live between surrender and hope
The struggle of my faith
What’s happening in this place?
Prepared to leave the faith and surrender,
This place demonstrates hate and danger,
Hands to the sky asking for redemption.
What’s happening in this place?
Prepared to leave the faith and surrender,
This place demonstrates hate and danger,
Hands to the sky asking for redemption.
Scars for no heal
Walking down the dry grounds of Sanaa’
Sudden strikes of whimpered cries
Crossing the corner of my eye as I plan
Visions in my mind of what occurs almost everyday
Walking down the dry grounds of Sanaa’
Sudden strikes of whimpered cries
Crossing the corner of my eye as I plan
Visions in my mind of what occurs almost everyday
White pedestrian lights counting down to orange
Young men in white traditional gowns hesitating
Paused in the moment of action
Afraid to flee
Young men in white traditional gowns hesitating
Paused in the moment of action
Afraid to flee
The conspiracy thieves striking the food sources
Oh they say it’s a mistake
the targets of suspicious danger
why do they only happen to be where food and aid is?
Oh they say it’s a mistake
the targets of suspicious danger
why do they only happen to be where food and aid is?