in PH 2018 (School Poets) Poets of Greenwood International School

A Letter to My Future Daughter

The little girl was born in a place

Desolate and deserted, dark and dank

The memories of her childhood encompassed

With the dark hue of suffering and pain

The sweetness emanating from

A lullaby was unknown to her;

Her ears still rangwith the sounds of

Blasts that shook the city to the core

Her pupils, black as coal,

Captured those of the viewer before her…

Swirling perpetually, rewinding the scenes

Of horror that played before them not long ago…

Her heart beat heavily every single day,

Weeping for the little joys

She had cherished; they had all

Been snatched away, shattering it bit by bit

Vivid memories floated before her,

Of the big oak tree she’d called her haven,

The one with the thick branches she gleefully climbed on,

Until one day, they chopped it away…

Of the brother who she adored,

The one who raised her, kept her alive,

Lived by her side day and night,

Until one day, they took him away…

Of the parents she never saw, All but once in a photo,

Of them standing together happy and safe;

Her mother’s hand placed over her unborn daughter,

And her father’s in her brother’s;

Until one day, they were nowhere to be seen…

She grew up too soon,

An adult by ten, she learnt to fend for herself…

The cruel world had imposed upon her

That she shall not hope, nor shall she smile

Every day a rotten curse,

For a crime committed she knew not when

Every night a dangling sword, over her head,

Threatening to fall, taking her life once and for all…

But then came the forbidden taste

Of hope, washing over her,

In the form of the angel clothed

In white, an advocate of peace and love…

A hand extended, a few words

Of kindness delivered to the aching heart,

Light up it did, for here was a woman

Closest to her mother as ever can be

She walked withher by the walls of hatred,

Of intolerance, of inhumanity,

Until she reached the gateway that opened

To the bridge of hope, leading to the land beyond….

The one filled with the fragrance

Of flowers, of nature, singing the tunes

Of Harmony and kindness; tears rolled down her cheeks,

As she turned back to thank her guardian angel…

The woman was long gone,

but the words she’d said

Resonated within the girl’s heart…

Deep within my heart, I have a wish,

To break down the walls of hatred,

To build more bridges,

To shatter the mirrors fixed on the walls,

And to replace them with windows instead…

To save humanity from fading away,

Into the void, never to be seen or heard of again….

And I shall not rest until I know

That my goal is achieved, and every child like you

Has a reason to smile…

About The Poet

Salma Al Jayyousi is from Greenwood International School.

Salma is a girl not afraid to expose the truth about this generation. Although young at age, her writings approach very crucial topics in nowadays society.

She talks about real-life experiences, stereotypes, and realistic dilemmas some people are too afraid to address. She spills her heart out on the pages, sewes words like threads and enjoys vigorous metaphors. Writing and public speaking have always been Salma’s forte.

From winning the “Best Speaker Award” for moderating at AUSMUN, she is always willing to defend her principles of righteousness and the better good.

Consequently, Salma is willing to pursuit a career in law in an effort to achieve real change in a world where every act of kindness is much needed.