Jane, a member of our network, shared a beautiful poem she has written about her asylum journey, titled ‘Asylum of Hope’.
We hope you enjoy her powerful words.
Once full of life—curves and vibrant hue.
In shadows, I found my strength,
and suddenly, it was darkness—
three years of darkness—
because I lost my sight.
I lost my sight.
I was blind.
My face, the faces of my children,
and that of my love—
I could no longer see.
Because I lost my sight.
Yet I held on.
Surgery on my eyes brought a glimmer of hope.
But incisions were left on my heart—
because my love, the love of life,
my love for many years—
my first love—left me.
Left me to cope alone in a world gone dark.
Left—unable to bear
the weight of my struggle,
the pain I bore,
the darkness hovering over me
and beyond my sight.
But I rose—
a phoenix from the ashes was born.
Determined to thrive, I was,
though my path was dark and torn.
Seeking asylum—
asylum from the storm I endured,
from my darkness clinging to every step
and laden with what I must lose in return.
But my hope was met with denial—
while my healing still waits behind the locked door.
But I claim my right to live.
I claim my right to see—
beyond and despite my darkness.
To heal.
To shine with all my might.
Yet they took me to a hotel,
filled with steps my eyes could not find.
I was blind—
and yet I was denied.
I was denied asylum.
But I was determined to live—
for myself,
for my children back home,
and for my dear child with me here.
Though my steps falter—
though I lost a home to find a home,
though I came so that I could see—
my disability was dismissed,
ignored,
even though one glance could show my struggle.
But they wouldn’t look.
Nor would they listen.
Yet my spirit remains unbroken.
Though I have no space in this dark world,
I am thankful for the roof over my head,
and that of my dear girl.
Though sight may falter,
my spirit remains unbroken.
I face the challenges and the pain.
I am a warrior. A survivor.
My courage guides me
through all I do.
Even in my darkness, I see my worth.