Story by Geraleah Sakuma
You think you know
but you have no idea
you see a smile
and think I’m fine
I have struggles
the pain is real
My island is dying
Roads are flooding
Trees are falling
And typhoons are coming.
I wanna save my island
I’ll do all I can.
Not only the island would be saved, also will
the memories
both good and bad
the laughs and cries
I have shared with my loved ones.
When I was six
I moved from Saipan,
And came to Palau
All the memories,
All the toys,
All the pets
I had to leave behind
Then I turned seven
A new chapter began
It was hard to fit in
Scared to go to school
Didn’t want to be separated
From my sister
Even for a second.
Bullied at school
“Why is she here?”
“Go back to where
you came from”
“New girl’s a dumb
girl” I’d hear my school mates say.
Bullied at home
“You don’t have a father”
“We’ll blame the troubles
on her”
“You’re unwanted here”
“Get out of our room”
I felt rejected no matter
Where I went.
When I was twelve
Someone told me
“There are times we don’t
realize but we tend to
become what other people
want us to be
rather than what we
wanna be.” Then it hit me.
I was being someone I wasn’t
Just to be accepted.
I became me and
Stood up for myself
Now I’m sixteen
Accepted by many
And rejected by none.
I wake up everyday and ask myself
Who loves herself? Who loves her life?
And who thinks about others? The answer is Me!