Poetry

I mentioned in my earlier post about refugee week that Iyad Hayatleh had read his very moving poem Appeal at the launch event.

Graeme Corbett from the Refugee Council has very kindly sent me a copy of the poem and Iyad is happy for it to be posted up. I hope you enjoy it.

Appeal

Leaving my soul behind
memories
life
my very first step
very first lisping
my first alphabet
mother’s tears
father’s supplications
the familial taste of chestnut in wintry evenings.

Escaping death - maybe – for another death
armed with my heart
my passion
my giving
my pride
spreading my sails for art
my wings for poetry
my appetite for love.

I’ve come looking for a new dream
I’ve come to bury the darkness that covered my heaven
in a happy pink morning
to re-sketch my path far away
thousands of songs filling up my eyes
and the lovers longing for kisses
flowing out of my lips.

Oh, land of wind
land of persistent uncompromising rain
land of castles
and the brave heart who never goes astray
grant me a fresh chance
to live
to sing
to restore my broken poem.

Second homes and new opportunities

Tonight, I attended the launch of Refugee Week tonight at the Tron. I've attended every year since I was elected, and really enjoy celebrating the contribution those coming to Scotland make to our society. It's important to take the time to celebrate, as well as protest when things go wrong. The theme this year is Home, chiming with the year of Homecoming.

There were speeches by the head of the Scottish Refugee Council and Alex Neil, Minister for Communities and Housing. There was a reading by a wonderful poet, Iyad Hayatleh, who spoke movingly in Arabic and English. There was a snippet from the play Home Sweet Home, and a musical and dance performance by Maryhill Integration Network.

The speech which brought tears to my eyes was made by Amal Azzudin, one of the Glasgow Girls from Drumchapel High who stood up against dawn raids. What moved me was that she spoke about the Scotland I want to see, the experience I wish people coming to this country to have. She's been living in Scotland for ten years, and has seen a great deal in that time. Amal spoke about how her life had changed, how different her life had been if she wasn't here, and about the sense of hope that children of asylum seekers and refugees now have; she said that the places they had come from was their past - Scotland was their future.

The Scotland I believe in is welcoming. It's about learning from each other, and building together. It might sound corny, but I was glad to hear it said out loud at a public event, by a non-political figure I have a huge amount of respect for. I want all citizens of Scotland to feel that Scotland can be like this: make time to go to an event this week. Enjoy.