Kayak Khalifa

Khalifa is a Syrian refugee who participated in the Tokyo
 Olympics🗼as a member of the Refugee Paralympic Team (RPT).
Photo Courtesy: UNHCR

Taking risks gave me hope

When the only hope I had

Was the shadow of a home

Blown from hell to breakfast

Hope that cut a path

Thru troubled ravine waters

And washed up to me

In the form of a light narrow

Boat that took me out kayaking

On turbulent waters to tomorrow

I used to be the King of sorrow

I begged, stole and I borrowed

Every squeeze of hope

I could scrounge from the barrow

Here I am

A self-made man

Cutting legacies

Into the skin of canyons

Building concrete dreams

On waters with my new companion

Painting bouquets with the crayon

Of my paddle like the staff of Aaron

I'm charting a path

Over troubled waters

With my kayak

And it's all that matters

This is where I wanna be

I am a free spirit

Wheeling the forces of nature

Like ancient Inuits

Making live sculptures

With every stroke

An emphasis of hope

That echoes my heartbeat

A thumping will to live

Taking risks

Brought me hope

When all my chances

Were nothing but zero.

Akpan