Amazing Poem by Madiha, Year 8

I am honoured to be able to share this breathtaking poem written by Madina, a girl in one of my Year 8 groups. Part of the joy of what I do is that not only do I work with students to develop literacy skills and a love of language, but I also get a genuine insight into their lives. Madiha's poem is painful in its honesty, and is written with the kind of simplicity that I really like in a poem. She should be very proud of herself, I'm sure you'll agree.

Poem by Madiha (Year 8)

I can’t see very much as I sit at the very top of the stairs,

Watching and observing.

My sister gets up, as soon as she thinks I have fallen asleep,

to help pack.

I peek through the bottom of the door.

Gentle sobs come from the room.

The tear drops slam against the ground,

harder than I would’ve imagined.

The tiny droplets of salt water solution carry great emotion,

Pain and fear.

“You have to be there for your sister”, he says.

“Don’t tell Madiha”, my mum says.

“you have to be there for your sister. You must be her

everything”, he continues…

“Just 3 months”

A moment of silence, ‘til I hear my sister coming.

I run to my bed.

I pretend to sleep as I taste a tear roll down my cheek

and into my mouth.

Why?

That question remains in my mind.

Why was it hidden from me?

Why did no one want to tell me?

3 months turned to 6 months, then a year, then two.

Finally he came home.

Did they not think I would notice being searched

before a visit?

How I wouldn’t figure out, eventually?

I’m not that stupid.

I missed him very much, now I’m glad he’s home.

But every day I’m frightened of what his long work nights

Hold.

I’m scared he’ll go back.

And I don’t want that to repeat.

As to this day no one knows that I knew.

Only I did, then my sister, then my friends,

now you.