Imagine, now we have indefinite leave

Image credits: Crayon2papier Via DevianArt

Unexpected, that’s for sure: Iza and I never imagined looking back on a poem we wrote in Year 10. We never imagined to share the meanings of these verses that perhaps don’t belong to us like they used to. It’s safe to say we were prompted by our teacher, who we remember liking it enough to deem it publication worthy.

Even if that motivated exposing it to the public eye initially, we hope our words can be mirrors for other young identities, equally conflicted, equally searching for themselves.

(Izahiwua Iredia and Anja Gogo, 5 years ago)

I’m not part of it

But them

It’s just a memory

of the warm summers

It’s just a feeling 

of not belonging

/

Foreign words

that penetrate my mind

as unknown swords

not a familiar sound 

not my wound

Dual consciousness: Shatha Al Dafai, via Pinterest (image credits)

Identity, 

problem of any age

problem of any race

problem of every migrant

/

This is not me

but them

Not my home

but theirs

/

Born in a country

raised in another

survived in another

lived in a country

that maybe is not yours