War made me an orphan
Winter made me a street child
I walk alone across snowy streets
My old shoes with holes
My clothes tight, colors never matching
Children play in the snow
They make snowballs, snowmen
But I have no gloves, the snow hurts my hands
They’re happy, on vacation from school
While I dream of going to school
These happy children eat hot, fresh food
While I would be happy for something, anything, to eat
Warm cars go by as I continue
Walking the cold streets
Looking for money
Children go home to heaters, blankets,
Hot tea, mothers who make food
I go home to a tent with no heat,
Water everywhere, a sick mother who I bring food
Winter has made me tired
But I can still smile
I am tired, but I am strong
Because I have learned to survive
My future will be bright
Life is not always sad
My struggles show me life can be happier
I have a dream for my future
It will come true
This I know
By Shogofa Az.
Photo via Afghanistan Matters.
I posted my last comment on the wrong post. But Shogofa, you have clearly seen a lot. You most definitely ARE still strong despite these setbacks. You are doing a great job using them to make you stronger!
Shogofa — So happy to see your beautiful poem about a child of the streets here! Your descriptions of sadness and difficulties are counter balanced so well by hope and strength. A clear and stunning portrait — well done! Nancy
Dear Shogofa,
I can genuinely connect with the emotions that you are expressing in this poem. Children are the group of people who are the most innocent, and the ones which required the most attention when it comes to war. The damage that is pressed on to a group of little kids cannot be compared the damage being done to adults. The war does destroy not only the dreams and hope of individual children but also the country’s next generation as a whole. I liked the way you contrasted the life of kids living in peace, and the ones under the harsh influence made by the war. Thank you for spreading awareness to audiences over the world on children suffering during the war.
Thank you for writing this beautiful piece of poetry. I’d like to thank you for showing me how much I take for granted. My home with warmth, fresh food, vacations, even basic human needs like water.
Your life has treated you unfairly, where you haven’t been as blessed with all these luxuries. However, I am very happy to see you have come to your own realizations that your future will be bright. Despite all of these hardships, you have been made stronger. I also have utmost faith that your dreams for your future will come true, as you have the power to make them occur.