Words of Freedom

When the day changes to night,
As does the dark change the light.
There, crossing the lands and seas,
All I heard was the whistle of the breeze.

Behind the mountains lay the hundreds,
And all around, they were bounded.
I listened to all the sounds uttered, 
Yet, behind me not a voice muttered.

That great prison that gathered all
Only I was away from the long wall.
That wall made them the same,
And I being alone and different felt insane.

Should I be imprisoned or be free?
Should I leave my origin or stay me?

The sounds of my old fellows faded away,
I almost forgot my words that might leave today.
But I ran away to save my words,
For I won't sell them to greedy lords.

Behind me voices came out, 
Not similar to mine, there was no doubt.
But, fast as wind I was caught,
And loud as drums my heart beat.

No hurt they said, no harm they brought.
I was alone and they were five.
Six, together we make a life.
Soil, air, water, fire, and earth
With my language life comes to a new birth.

My language they wanted to learn,
For we are free and freedom is to earn.

The old sounds came to fly,
Protecting my words which will never die. 

      Rouba Farhat 

I wrote this poem when I took my Bilingualism course. As students, we were asked to come up with a poem that talks about our language and what we would do if we were the last people to speak our language. So, here, there is a kind of story that is going on. There are people who are imprisoned and they are just stuck and can't move forward; this is because they have no language or at least not my language, and that's why I can't recognize the sounds and utters I'm hearing. I described those imprisoned and how they are all the same, while I was the only different one. Because of this, I questioned myself whether I want to be like them or just stay free with my language. And the last choice was the best for me, so I ran away to save my language. Soil, air, water, fire, and earth are the essential elements in life, but to me also my language is the sixth element that will make life comes to a new birth that is peaceful and that is a new beginning for a better world. When I teach my language to the five people that are represented by the five elements mentioned before, I start to remember the sounds of the old fellows because my language will not die and more people will be learning it. My language gives freedom to others and to be free we need to know this language.