Juan Garrido-Salgado #1/9, As a Child on Nauru

As a Child on Nauru #1/9

                                    As a Child on Nauru I was NR03-283, but my name is Mohammad Ali Baqiri.

As a Child on Nauru I was NR03-283, but my name is Mohammad Ali Baqiri.

As a child I have to pronounce those letters and numbers

like a playground that hurt my dreams

With cruelty games at the detention centre.

Now I am 24, I ask please, to reality bring back to us the stolen  humanity

On the mist of so much injustice

I heard a howl as a torment of dust;

You NR03-283.  The guard said to the child!!!

In Ali words’ I’ve experienced it first hand and it’s affects

 in my way I can’t yet explain.

I saw detention push the adults around me to the brink of hopelessness.

I witnessed self-harm and suicide attempts

No one should have to go through that.

I was NR03-283, but my name is Mohammah Ali Baqiri.

My home was walls without windows to play with the moon

Or to counting the stars as a wish to be free; even just in my dream.

As a child my town was walls with garden without birds,

 animals to call my friend or walk with them.

As a child the school to attend to learn English,

 Was a room of shadows of body-guards

Even they weren’t interested to talk to me

They were grudgingly teachers.

As a Child on Nauru I was NR03-283, but my name is Mohammad Ali Baqiri

Juan- Salgado- Salgado