This is the third poem by Ms. Shams Mazen Rajab, a young woman who lives in Gaza.

In life’s budding spring, I find a silent fall,
My heart, a hushed lament for worries beyond recall,
My soul, a whisper yearning for safety’s sheltering wall.

Burdens unseen weigh heavy on my frame,
I dream of peace, untouched by exile’s flame,
Am I a blossom vibrant, or a withered name?

Between youth’s bright bloom and pain that knows no end,
My days unfold with sorrow, a smile its sole friend,
On a lonely path I walk, where warmth fails to transcend.

My voice, a fading echo in life’s vast, quiet space,
My eyes, deep wells reflecting sorrow’s trace,
Yet hope’s faint pulse still finds its fragile place.

I seek a single beam to pierce this endless night,
To paint joy’s hues on my spirit’s weary height,
That spring might bloom for me, untouched by autumn’s blight.

Please consider donating to her family’s GoFundMe campaign created by her English teacher in Australia.