This year is the 70th anniversary of of the UN Refugee Convention, which first legally defined who a refugee is. Because of this the UK for UNHCR are launching a dictionary where this is the only word defined, and people from the UK can submit their definitions to complete the sentence “A Refugee Is…” until July 5th, with legends like Susie Dent getting involved.
I really love this idea and was inspired to write this about some friends of ours who in Grace’s words are just completely gorgeous (and who we got to see this weekend for the first time in over a year!).
Link is www.unrefugees.org.uk/refugee... if you’d like to add your definition, they are looking for as many as possible because - as the campaign says - Words Are Important. 🌰
#ARefugeeIs
Words:
A Refugee Is…
The 9-year-old insisting we read his favourite stories together
Picked up English so quickly he is his dad’s go-to translator.
The 11-year old who has started to learn the violin
He is the strongest child I know and yet of course somehow this works.
The 3-year old, same as my niece, whose eyes burn just as brightly.
The mum who gives praise to Allah they didn’t have another boy.
The dad who always asks me how the poetry is going.
Tells me in Arabic the word for poet sounds like the word for hair.
I tell myself that’s ‘cause you cannot stop us growing.
It is making sure when we go round we always have an empty stomach.
Knowing we won’t get away with saying no to food. And coffee. And more food.
And the best baklava you’ve ever tasted
And nor would we dream of turning it down.
First time Grace said we were veggie it meant we got given chicken instead of lamb
Not complaining because it tasted incredible.
It is the one time we fried and ate conkers
because they looked like chestnuts they have back in Syria.
One bite was enough to know that they are not the same. They taste like conkers.
We look it up on the NHS that night and find out they could be poisonous.
Call up in a panic and say we’re so sorry we might have killed your children.
Being laughed at down the phone and told not to worry, they seem fine.
They’ve been through worse.
It’s agreeing not to tell them about the time we tried to make falafel at home.
It’s cleaning the house twice before they come to visit.
Knowing they will still find ways to tidy up once they arrive.
It’s Grace checking they would be okay with me writing this poem.
Them saying of course we trust his judgement, after all he chose you as his wife
It is flawless logic
It is Friday prayers
It is Arsenal games
It is let me fix your toaster
It is a milk-frother made
from a broken electric toothbrush
It is passing your driving theory
It is failing your driving test
It is next time
It is FaceTime
It is playtime
It is helping with the maths homework
It is when can we visit you at the beach
It is we are coming to London this weekend
It is friendship
It is family
It is our favourite wedding photo
It is just a snapshot
It is just the beginning
It is just completely gorgeous