A refugee life

It's in the little closet that she hides
a whole lifetime of memories and abandoned dreams
In it she keeps it safe, uncorrupted
In between the skirts, the shirts and the scarves
The story unfolds
A rare one of who she was, who she could have been
Yes, she was in love
But that was long ago
Before the war, before the destruction, and before the soldiers came marching in
She had a childhood then
And a father
But they came marching in one night
She crawled under the bed, holding her breath
The thud of their heavy boots trampling her spirit, crushing her soul
They shot her father
She could only watch
Then the soldiers went marching out to crush yet another soul
While she remained in the shadows

But that was years ago
When she was in love
yes, in love
But one day he was gone, too
No, the soldiers didn't come marching this time
He left her

Then, picking together the pieces of her life
she too left
In the camps she became yet another refugee
With a number and card
and with rationed food
No, it wasn't a good life
Yes, she had escaped
yes, she was alive
But had nothing to wait for, to strive for
She sat in her corner, looking at the horizon
seeking reasons, justifications, anything
But nothing came forth

Many years went by
Then one day when it rained so hard it blurred the skies
She walked to the little office
She would go to America
Yes, she would start afresh
Yes, she would love again

America.
A place where everyone wanted to go
Where they would all get a second chance
Where nothing would hold you back
Where you can make it
That's what everyone said
In the long line outside the little office
They talked about America
And she listened
And she hoped

Then one day, she got on the plane
On its large wings it would carry her to the distant land
where she can begin to live again
Or so she thought
But how could she let go of it all
In a little bag, she carried her all her years
A little bag she clutched tightly
After all that was what she was
Some old pictures, a few pieces of broken, twisted jewelry
An old shawl, its colors still bright
And a Koran, carefully wrapped in layers
Yes, she still believed in Allah

Finally, she was here
A refugee seeking to rebuild her life
But without language she was lost
Her color made it worse
Refugees weren't welcome here
Go back, return to where you came from
It was everywhere
She could see it
No, she wanted to tell them
I am not here to take away your jobs
I am here to find myself, to work the jobs you don't want
And to live and love
Don't hate me