Four days ago I left war-torn Somalia to seek protection elsewhere in the world. Now I am in Ethiopia. In this short poem i try to explain how I ended up in fleeing my homeland while at the same time attempting to send an appeal to the Ethiopian authorities, the UNHCR in Addis Abeba and the world community at large.

You little boy
You cruel boy
Boy of the village
Why shoot me boy
Am I not the bird of peace?

You pointed your arrow on me
I couldn't scratch earth boy
I couldn't fetch a grain boy
You scared me away little boy

You didn't stop chasing me
In the middle of the night
When I was in deep slumber
When I was at peace with myself
You attacked me in my nest
You forced me to flee in the dark
Where are my two lovely babies?
Where is my sweet heart?
Where is my family?
You tore my heart apart boy

You threw me into an alien habitat
I am now a stranger in a new home
I lost my bearings in the wild bush
The mountains I knew are out of sight
So are the rivers I dived in and swam
Without them I don't know who I am
Without them I don't know where I am
I deeply I miss the scent of trees
The aroma of the flower and butterflies
I miss the smell of everything i knew

Out from the little boy's hands
Discharge the bow and the arrow
I want to go back home
But in the meantime
Until things resume normal
Please give me a place to stay
Help me re-unite with my family
We are human beings
Treat us like human beings
Our situation deserves attention