BEYOND THE CELL
By
Daniel Iko-Ojo Adama
I am the voice of lives unseen,
Found in a cell, where birth’s first cry is heard, and eyes are first seen.
A cell not made of bricks and bars,
But of stigma, pain, fear, and scars.
I am the secret tears of those who yearn to be free,
To live like everyone else, wild and carelessly.
I’m the hope of those who dare to dream,
Of a life without limitations, where possibilities beam.
I’m the heart of a child, wondering why,
Born different, tagged “abiku,” destined to die.
Scared to dream, scared to breathe,
Longing to be set free, like the wind that whispers through the trees.
My blood may be sickled, but my dreams are not,
I envision a life without boundaries, where I am not
Defined by my illness, but by my strength and might,
I am a warrior, a fighter, a survivor, shining with all my light.
I will not be silenced by the whispers of doubt,
I will not be held back by the shackles of fear, routed.
I will rise above the noise, I will shine above the pain,
I will live a life without limitations, and I will thrive again.
So I’ll take my medication, and I’ll do my part,
But I won’t let my illness define my heart.
I’ll keep on fighting; I’ll keep on pushing through,
Because I am a sickle cell warrior, and I am strong and true.
