Song of Silence

I decided I want to put up a poem I wrote over Thanksgiving break. Before I put it up I need to give the story behind it so hopefully it will make the poem more meaningful to those of you who read it.

Summer 2006 I had the amazing opportunity to go to Israel and the West Bank. While I was in the West Bank (Palestine), I stayed in Bethlehem. The group I went with visited a non-profit organization there in Bethlehem called the House of Hope. This building provides education, work, and a social environment for blind adults and children with physical/mental disabilities. There were several children there. One girl in particular captured my attention. She just kept staring at me with her big brown eyes. Her eyes literally danced and lit up her face, and then she would just sit and smile. Her smile was so beautiful. She literally had me mesmerized by the joy in her face. She didn't have down syndrome or any obvious handicaps, so I wondered why she was there. Later I learned her story, and it broke my heart.

When she was a little girl (still a toddler I believe), the Israeli soldiers burst into her house kicking her and her family out. The soldiers startled her and scared her so she tried to run away from them. While she was trying to get away she fell and hit her head. Her fall caused her to not be able to speak again.

I found the picture I took of her and it inspired me to write this poem. Here are two pictures of her.
















"Song of Silence: from a بنت جميلة"
(transliteration from Arabic: biint jamila. translation: beautiful girl)

Little girl
My soul is heavy for you tonight.
Your deep brown eyes dancing with light
Caught my gaze.
As our eyes met you
Captured my heart.
I can see your beautiful smile stretching across your
Brown face and your
Free spirit shining through.
Words to share escape me even before I
Understand that oppressors
Stole your song and
Caged you.
They took the key and left you a
Victim
Forever bearing the scar of this punishment given for a
Crime you never committed.
In spite of your suffering, you didn't stop
Smiling and as you smiled I could
Hear the lyrics of the
Beautiful song you were
Singing even though the oppressors took your
Words.