I am a refugee,
A global citizen,
Aching for 2 continents,
2 countries, 2 histories, 2 nations,
Yet abandoned by all.
I am a refugee
And I shelter humanity.
I walked, and ran, and screamed,
Miles on end,
To find peace,
Before I could pronounce my own name.
I come with too many invisible treasures,
Often misunderstood,
Feared by all,
Banned by politics,
Never belonging,
And always longing.
I am a refugee
And I anchor humanity.
A childhood, full of humanity's lowest moments,
I carry, tiny soulless traumas.
Time will only harden my flesh,
Yet my survival is a testimony
To humanity's depth and compassion.
My traumas can teach the greatest lessons on humanity.
I am a refugee
And I uplift humanity.
I am a refugee.
Globally homeless,
Yet my language is an international bridge,
My culture is a blanket from the elements of bigotry,
My religion is my pillow for my compassion,
My history is a lullaby for tales not to be repeated,
And my humanity is in the hands of a child
Sitting in a refugee camp
Still waiting for a chance to find a safe home.
I am a refugee
And I challenge humanity.
I am a refugee,
Globally villainized,
Yet I bring you a slice of the world, of my own home,
Right here in your backyard.
I bring you food so intricately spiced it revolutionized your palette.
I bring you my vibrant fabrics,
Handwoven with ancient delicate wisdom,
That has diversified your closed-minded color wheels.
I bring you my children, my precious only children,
To share a history, a future with you.
You and I are too stuck together to be this far apart.
I am a refugee
And I glue humanity.
I am a refugee,
A stubborn survivor.
You see cruelty tried to break me,
Wars tried to erase me,
Bigotry tried to silence me,
And politics tried to ban me,
But still like time, I stand,
Still like dust I rise,
And still like hope I move,
And still like love I flourish.
I am a refugee
And I heal humanity.
I am a refugee,
A wandering, colorful, restless, foreign, alien soul.
Won't you just let me find my humanity,
Right here next to you?