Aya

Aya, a Syrian refugee painter who is
challenging girls everywhere to take
their place on the global stage.
Courtesy: UNHCR

Beauty

Is in the hand of the painter

Brushing masterful cuties,

Changing the world canvas by canvas

A stroke of faith here

A dash of hope there.

Mixing a collage of variety

Creating a work of ingenuity,

Aya has set the tone,

She's hyped the velocity

She found her zone.

She's painting her voice

Into scenes, on easels, to give

Girls everywhere a choice.

A reason to live,

To not only survive

But to thrive

With the audacity of style.

This refugee called Aya

In the final analysis, is on fire

She holds the power of the sun

On the tip of her fingers.

Her brushes heal the world

The aura of her influence lingers.

She summons her sisters

To rise up a mighty army

Of female resisters

And punch down the glass ceiling.

Akpan