Our home: A poem by Mariam Yusuf

For Refugee Week 2024 we hosted an evening of performance, dance, storytelling and poetry. Mariam shared her poem, Our Home.

By the Indian Ocean, where waves touch the shore, lies my home, a haven I adore. The

rhythm of the sea is a soothing song, A place where my heart forever belongs.

Morning greets us with a golden hope, Sunlight dances on sandy floors, the ocean’s whisper,

a gentle call, Awakens the world, and touches us all.

Palm trees sway in the coastal breeze, rustling leaves in harmony with ease, A dance of light

forever more.

Fishermen’s boats sail out to sea, they glide across waters reflecting the light. Their nets cast

out, in hopes they draw, the bounty of the sea.

In the heart of the village, stands a house of our laughter, our hopes, and dreams, hustling and

bustling we all play our part with chores to be done.

Villages thrive along the shore, with markets busy, sale of Spices and fruits, sweet fragrance,

echoing cultures from far away.

Children’s laughter fills the air, chasing dreams without a care, as they weave stories, both

grand and frail.

Evening falls, the sun dips low, and the stars bestow. The horizon blurs in twilight’s grace,

Peace descends on this cherished place. I watch the stars as they colour the dark sky, and the

moon smiles down on us. Under the moonlight, we play a game called Catch Me If You Can.

The village is quiet my auntie prepares dinner, and the fireplace crackles as she feeds the

firewood.

In the kitchen, a haven, where magic is made, the evening meal is over, and we all camp

around the fireplace listening attentively to grandmother’s folktales. The night is quiet and

peaceful we all retire to bed.

Our house is simple and small, the love within that makes it home. A haven of peace, where

hearts find rest, we are truly blessed.

By the Indian Ocean, I find my peace, In the waves’ lullaby, my worries cease. My home,

where the land meets the sea, A paradise that cradles me.

My new home is different, short days in winter, long days in summer, it feels like a different

world. The English culture is very different from my own. I am enriched with both. I have

friends I call family. I am no longer the little girl who looked up to the sky for stars. I am

chasing my dreams wanting to be free and not restricted from following my dream. I want to

be like the brave eagle that fly high in the sky, I want to call this place my home