Out Of Aden

Aden, 6, was born on the move after her parents
 fled fighting in Darfur. She's about to begin school
 in Medenine, in southern Tunisia.
Photo Courtesy: UNHCR

When she smile

Eden like the sun rise

Thru the windows of her eyes

And tho she got the pen

Upside-down in the picture

It's a sign of how she gon' stem

The world's downward spiral

And restore a prodigal

She lays that smile

On that attitude

Like she got 10,000 sunshines

Locked on her altitude

When she smile

She takes tragedy for a ride

This is where the sun comes

For its booster shot

Hope resides

In the arc of that smile

The escape from Darfur

Preceded her coming

Her parents were on the run

When she bust on the scene

After inheriting a miserable life

She's twisting fate's hands 

She's taking charge of her life

And bulldozing a new path

With a disarming smile

She's on the move

She's going to school

And taking her smile with her

She's packed an arsenal

This is Aden

A young girl with eyes

As promising as Eden

A million suns rise

In her countenance

She's the victor of circumstance

Cause when she smile

It says it ain't over by a mile.

Akpan