Swat (by Maheen Hashmi, a 7th class student)

[Naveed Yaseen]

Standing in a queue and waiting for my turn

My memories fly back to a small house

With lush gardens and flowing streams

My mother’s calling for meal

Playing with my friends and running in the fields

Here I am lost in my dreams

Packed in a small room is my family waiting for food

My feet are sour and my limbs weary

Gone are the gardens and the flowing streams,

The laughters, the gatherings and my little dreams

Gone is the school, the books and bags

Friends and families are now in rags

Standing in a queue and waiting for my turn

Here I am lost in my dreams

Waiting for my mother calling for meal

— Maheen Hashmi

(A student of class 7 at OPF Girls College, Islamabad)