Misleading Hope

• Matthew Jones, Grade 10
• Poetry
• 2016

Prevailing clueless into the unknown,
Their backs bloody and blistered from hefty bags,
Emotions rushing through their head like a bullet through flesh,
Fear, excitement, distress.

Weak bodies on daunting journeys,
Strengthened only by the thought of a better life,
a better life that was promised by the “accepting” country,
but is it really a better life?

The dejection ends yet just begins,
they escaped from misery only to arrive back at it,
greeted by glim stares and diminishing remarks not given hope,
they were tigers in a cage.

Of no use, no worth, no status,
ideas like gold demolished by arrogant criticism,
flowering intention trampled, flattened by unaccepting culture,
what is the point?