a short letter for all who wants to listen

                   “smash racism”  (pashto),  poster made in Krnjača concentration camp

I am S. M. I am from Afghanistan.
I am a refugee. I am a human. I am not a terrorist.
I escaped from terrorism. I am not illegal, i am a seeker of freedom,
I am not a bad man, I am a good man, I have black hair, I have dark skin,
I dont want war, I escaped from war, I am peaceful, I love peace,
they dont want peace, they want me dead so I left my land,
I searched for a safe place, in that search of a safe place
eventually I reached Europe, in Europe they gave me a title of refugee,
I love it, here some are afraid of me, I dont know why.
They say you are young in fighting age, you had to fight for your country!
I said bro, be my friend, I am tired of fighting, my forefathers died
fighting for peace, my grandpa died fighting for peace, my father died
fighting for peace, I was born in war, I grew up in war,
bombs and bullets were my toys, gun firing my music,
every day and every night I struggled for peace,
I prayed for peace I wished for peace. I am sorry sir,
I could not fight any more, I am so tired.

Call those wolves back to your cage, will you let me
take a breath of peace in your garden?


Ja sam S. M.                                                                                                                                           Ja sam iz Avganistana.
Ja sam izbeglica. Ja sam čovek.
Nisam terorista. Pobegao sam od terorizma.
Nisam ilegalan, ja sam tragač za slobodom,
Ja nisam loš čovek, ja sam dobar čovek,                                                                                           imam crnu kosu i tamnu kožu,
Ne želim rat, pobegao sam od rata,                                                                                                    ja sam miroljubiv, ja volim mir.
Oni ne žele mir, žele me mrtvog, zato sam napustio svoju zemlju,
Tražio sam sigurno mesto i u toj potrazi na kraju sam stigao do Evrope,
u Evropi su mi dali titulu izbeglice, volim to,
ovde neki strahuju od mene, ne znam zašto.
Rekao mi je, mlad si, spreman za borbu, trebao si se boriti za svoju zemlju!
Rekao sam mu Brate, budi mi Prijatelj, umoran sam od borbe, moji predaci su umrli
u borbi za mir, moj deda se borio i umro za mir, moj otac je umro
u borbi za mir, rođen sam u ratu, odrastao sam u ratu,
bombe i meci su bili moje igračke, pucnjava je bila moja muzika,
Svaki dan i svake noći sam se borio za mir,
Molio sam se za mir, želeo sam mir.                                                                                               Izvinite gospodine,
nisam mogao više da se borim, jako sam umoran.                                                                     Zato pozovite te vukove nazad u vaš kavez,                                                                               hoćete li mi dozvoliti jedan udah mira u vašoj bašti?

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