Child of darkness By Shahd Qannam I’m a child of darkness a human animal an uncivilised I’m a child of darkness a third-generation refugee a stateless My skin is brown My passport a haunting testament to my journey through the shadows of statelessness of otherness of exile My birthright legacy: forced displacement and dispossession My roots: intertwined with colonialism, racism and iniquity My struggle: for survival, for dignity, began long before I was I am a child of darkness Yet colonial stereotypes will never, not ever define me or my people We may be voiceless to those who try to drown us out We may be invisible to those who paint us into a corner We may be powerless to those who only see strength in oppression But we will never bow to their kings We will never be bound by their chains We are speakers of our truth “Yousef, my son, 7 years old, curly hair, light skin, and handsome." "‫ سنین شعره كیرلي وأبیضاني وحلو‬٧ ‫"يوسف ابني عمره‬ “This is my mum; I know her from her hair.” "‫"هاي أمي بعرفها من شعرها‬ “My kids died hungry and without eating.” "‫"الوالد ماتوا بدون ما ياكلوا‬ "The soul of my soul." "‫"هادي روح الروح‬ "My three kids, look with me; I may find one of them alive." "‫"أوالدي ثالثة يا عالم دوروا بلكي بالقي واحد عايش‬ “visit me in my dreams, I swear to God I miss you” "‫ وهللا بشتقلكم‬٬‫"تعالولي في المنام‬ “I was planning to host a birthday party for her” "‫"كنت ناوي اعملها عید میالد‬ 19