What if you wake up one day?

What if you wake up one day?
In a place where you wants, your goals,
Your desires and your dreams are not legitimate.
A place where they might even be illegal at times.
A place where you are scrutinized, questioned,
Tested and so afraid to say that you come in for a better life.
That you have dreams of a better world.
That you think you might be able to change the world just by coming here.
You thought that you will be welcomed and celebrated.
You thought that you will be free a last.
And you discover the ugly face of reality here and now.
You are an outsider, you are not enough, you struck of bravery is kind of too common. You are one of millions and millions and millions.
You are just another worldwide beggar.
You have an accent. You talk in funny ways.
Another one, of those immigrants.
Some think you are illiterate,
Some think you may be a thief,
Some think you may be a fundamentalist,
Some swear that you are a terrorist.
Poor you! Who have no clue!
You smile, cook your traditional meals and invite them,
Sometimes you shake your heaps to show them some of your ancestor’s moves.
They call you Exotic, Colorful, Ethnic, different, or interesting!
And there you go now, for the first time in your life you got a sticker on your front head.
And you wipe in silence,
You ache in secrecy,
You put on a face,
And you try to not feel how badly it hurts.
You wish someone sees you as a human being
Like them and forget the stickers,
Just for a day, an evening or even an hour.

© Copyright 2003, Najat Fares Kessler, all rights reserved.