A poem by Faten Mostafa Hatem
Introduction/Special thanks
Art helped me through the journey of recovering from the intense impact it had on me living in different countries and situations exposed to different people, culture and social standards. Art was a way to find peace..to create peace for myself at times when I have been attacked for who I am and now I use it to ask for peace for us all who are going through discrimination. A dedication to my beautiful friend Alaa Shehatah from beloved Palestine, who we can only pray that she, her family and people survive the conflict, find some peace and hopefully live in a world that one day will see beyond her colour, nationality or religion.
The Silly Red Ball
A man in a suit, a clown and a small girl.
Sitting in a boat in silence, with no clue of a shore
The man turned to the clown, He asked for a joke
He answered back: “Very well then, we`re all bored
“…I know one, actually, the best of jokes…”
The kid knew what he`s up to but never said a word
with a smile most sarcastic …the clown spoke
“I was at the top once; I was no small…”
“…A bright young bird that`s been hit by a stone…”
“…isn’t this mine?, I asked… what the boss just stole?”
“…I suddenly couldn’t eat, smile, or talk…”
“…I went to the doctor to figure what`s wrong…”
“..A fracture in the heart, he said, a wound in the soul”
“..I went back to my office,… they sent me home…”
“…If you don’t give in”, they said you`ll never belong…”
The clown kept on talking, …and took off the silly red ball
his smile has faded as he revealed his skin tone
“…it was all about justice…what I`ve written before”
No one could laugh, move or say a word
That’s when she grinned .. that little girl
“…he thought it was “Open”, she said “..but it’s a very closed door…”
“my brother was silly to think… he can face them all alone”
“My father says; it is never ….the company you work for…”
“these are groups and friends…. No fair people, No fair war”
Faten Mostafa Hatem
ARTIST PROFILE:
Faten Hatem is a scholar, architect and artist. Find more works on her website:
Art for Deep Diversity | Faten Mostafa Hatem (fatenhatem092.wixsite.com)