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To whom it may concern

In Spring 2009, I wrote a poem for my English course in Victoria, B.C. I had been hearing a lot about our military in places such as Afghanistan, and had mixed thoughts about it.

My poem is spoken from the perspective of a teenaged girl who was walking to school one morning, and was taken and put behind bars.

Imprisoned, she sees a Canadian Forces woman who comes to talk to the people who run the jail and get her out. The woman tries to state the injustice of what they have done to this girl. While the girl watches the Canadian woman speak to the jailers, she talks in her head to the woman. The girl could and will do great things for our world if only she is given the freedom and the opportunity.

I think it is important to have the presence of our Canadian military, comprising people of different races and cultural backgrounds, and both genders, in countries that are in conflict – but in a peaceful and respectful manner. Our job isn’t to make their world the same as ours here in Canada, or to tell them what they need, but to work with them to try to find out how we can help them be more constructive and just in their actions.

In some cases, the injustices which, to my knowledge, are not part of any religion or culture and which people face in these countries, must be stopped before we can start to create a partnership.

I want this poem to go to the people who risk their lives to help these people in these countries.

Afghanistan

To you behind the bars:
The woman from Canada,
Who dared to wear long pants,
To expose her face And mind.

Your burning eyes
Seek a home of honesty,
and truth.

So to you I would say,
To bring those sheltered eyes out of the darkness,
To let them shine.
To you I would say…

That day,
I was the only one who dared,

Reaching for the stars,
To find that some didn’t believe.
Brought behind these bars,
Left to suffer on the cold, bleak floor.
Surrounded by Taliban,
Punching me to protect me?

Today,
You are the only one who dared.
To speak up.
Your voice
In front of the guards,
Like a few clear notes,
Resonating with my song.
Why did you come?
How could you care?

Then…
A shot.

A scream.
Silence.
How did they dare?
To blow out her candle.

Those days,
I dared.
To study hard.
Pointless,
it seemed,
But now I understand
the bells behind the storm clouds
Try to emerge,
The sun tries to come out…

Arriving at school seemed so ordinary,
Now, I am one step away.

Ms. Keshava is a 15-year-old Grade 11 student.