{"id":5336,"date":"2025-03-25T16:57:10","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T16:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/?p=5336"},"modified":"2025-03-26T13:39:07","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T13:39:07","slug":"powerful-poetry-showcase-on-identity-and-unity-with-kent-spoken-word-and-sanctuary-scholars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/2025\/03\/25\/powerful-poetry-showcase-on-identity-and-unity-with-kent-spoken-word-and-sanctuary-scholars\/","title":{"rendered":"Powerful poetry showcase on identity and unity with Kent Spoken Word and Sanctuary Scholars"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the University of Kent, our commitment to becoming a University of Sanctuary extends beyond providing scholarships to asylum seeking students \u2014we aim to foster a truly inclusive and welcoming campus for all. This year, we are proud to see our Sanctuary Scholars take an active role in supporting this mission by establishing Sanctuary<\/em><\/a>, a student-led group that brings together those passionate about refugee and asylum-seeker support.<\/p>\n

Recently, Sanctuary<\/em><\/a> collaborated with the Kent Spoken Word Society<\/a> to host Poetry Showcase & Fundraiser: What Parts of Yourself Do You See in Me?<\/em>, an evening of poetry celebrating identity, unity, and shared human experiences. The event featured 18 heartfelt performances, including powerful pieces by Sanctuary<\/em><\/a> committee members, offering audiences a deeply moving insight into the journeys of our sanctuary students.<\/p>\n

This showcase was also a significant part of Charlotte Annis\u2019 end-of-year dissertation. Charlotte, a third-year Cultural Studies and Media with Journalism student, is also the Secretary of the Kent Spoken Word Society<\/a> and played a key role in organising the event. Her dedication to creating a space for storytelling and connection was instrumental in bringing this powerful evening to life.<\/p>\n

Among the many breathtaking performances, we are honoured to share poetry from Ismael and Mia, two committee members of Sanctuary<\/em><\/a>, whose words capture the emotions of displacement, longing, and resilience.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Maison by Ismael<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sa voix, ma plus belle m\u00e9lodie<\/p>\n

Mon r\u00e9confort se trouve dans son sourire<\/p>\n

Elle me manque<\/p>\n

\u00a0De l\u2019amour dans tous ses repas<\/p>\n

Mon plat\u00a0 pr\u00e9f\u00e9r\u00e9 c\u2019est son riz au poisson fum\u00e9, hummm<\/p>\n

Oui, maman me manque<\/p>\n

Il est mon rep\u00e8re, il est ma base<\/p>\n

Je n\u2019ai qu\u2019\u00e0 penser \u00e0 lui quand tout va mal<\/p>\n

Avec lui j\u2019ai appris \u00e0<\/p>\n

Toujours pleurer avec classe<\/p>\n

Sourire au monde m\u00eame quand je saigne<\/p>\n

Oui, Papa me manque<\/p>\n

\u00c0 chaque fois que maman cuisine<\/p>\n

On se dispute pour avoir la plus grosse part<\/p>\n

J\u2019y pense et je souris b\u00eatement<\/p>\n

Je parle de football avec mes fr\u00e8res<\/p>\n

Mes s\u0153urs me conseillent \u00e0 propos des femmes<\/p>\n

\u00a0Oui, Ma famille me manque<\/p>\n

Aujourd\u2019hui tout n\u2019est que souvenirs<\/p>\n

Nos photos sont mes biens les plus pr\u00e9cieux<\/p>\n

J\u2019ai peur et \u00e7a me terrifie<\/p>\n

Le fait qu\u2019on ne se reverra peut-\u00eatre plus jamais<\/p>\n

Quelle partie de toi vois-tu en moi?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

English Translation: Home by Ismael<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Her voice, my most beautiful melody<\/p>\n

My comfort is found in her smile<\/p>\n

I miss her<\/p>\n

Love in all her meals<\/p>\n

My favorite dish is her smoked fish rice<\/p>\n

Yes, I miss my Mom<\/p>\n

He is my landmark, he is my foundation<\/p>\n

I only have to think of him when things go wrong<\/p>\n

With him I learned to<\/p>\n

Always cry with class<\/p>\n

Smile at the world even when I’m bleeding<\/p>\n

Yes, I miss my Dad<\/p>\n

Every time Mom cooks<\/p>\n

We fight over who gets the biggest slice<\/p>\n

I think about it, and I smile stupidly<\/p>\n

I talk about football with my brothers<\/p>\n

My sisters advise me about women<\/p>\n

Yes, I miss my family<\/p>\n

Today everything is just memories<\/p>\n

Our photos are my most precious possessions<\/p>\n

I’m scared and it terrifies me<\/p>\n

The fact that we might never see each other again<\/p>\n

What parts of yourself do you see in me?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Sommeil Eternel by Ismael<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Je vis ma meilleure vie dans mes r\u00eaves<\/p>\n

Du coup la nuit je pleure dans mon sommeil<\/p>\n

Je pleure, car j\u2019ai peur du r\u00e9veil<\/p>\n

Donc je pris pour un sommeil \u00e9ternel<\/p>\n

\u00c7a sert \u00e0 quoi d\u2019\u00eatre \u00e9veill\u00e9 mais sans vie<\/p>\n

Je suis amoureux de l\u2019apathie<\/p>\n

Absence de passion, l\u2019ingratitude me sourit<\/p>\n

Regard vide , c\u0153ur aride<\/p>\n

Je l\u2019appr\u00e9cie, elle m\u2019aime , et je d\u00e9teste \u00e7a<\/p>\n

Car l\u2019insatisfaction\u00a0 flirte avec mon \u00e2me<\/p>\n

je la trompe, elle me quitte ,je souffre en silence<\/p>\n

Car mon euphorie se trouve dans la souffrance<\/p>\n

Plus besoin de sourire pour cacher ma culpabilit\u00e9<\/p>\n

Car les gens sont trop occup\u00e9s \u00e0 se faire la guerre<\/p>\n

Je suis triste et \u00e7a m\u2019attriste d\u2019\u00eatre attrist\u00e9<\/p>\n

Sur le bon chemin, mais je r\u00e9ussi \u00e0 me perdre<\/p>\n

J\u2019aime de plus en plus la la m\u00e9lodie de l\u2019obscurit\u00e9<\/p>\n

Ma solitude fait l\u2019amour \u00e0 mon anxi\u00e9t\u00e9<\/p>\n

Je r\u00eave d\u2019un d\u00eener\u00a0 avec l\u2019ange de la mort<\/p>\n

L\u2019id\u00e9e de le rejoindre \u00e0 sa table me r\u00e9conforte<\/p>\n

Quelle partie de toi vois-tu en moi?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

English Translation: Eternal Sleep by Ismael<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I live my best life in my dreams<\/p>\n

So, at night, in my slumber, I weep<\/p>\n

I cry because I fear waking<\/p>\n

So, to numb the anticipation of the incoming day,<\/p>\n

I look for eternal sleep<\/p>\n

What’s the point in being awake when you\u2019re lifeless?<\/p>\n

I’m in love with apathy<\/p>\n

Absence of passion, ingratitude allures me with a smile<\/p>\n

Empty gaze, arid heart<\/p>\n

I like her, she likes me,<\/p>\n

And I hate it.<\/p>\n

Because dissatisfaction flirts with my soul<\/p>\n

I cheat on her, she leaves me, I suffer in secrecy<\/p>\n

Because my euphoria is found when suffering captures control<\/p>\n

No longer a need to smile to conceal my guilt<\/p>\n

Because people are too preoccupied fighting each other<\/p>\n

I am sad and it saddens me to be saddened<\/p>\n

On the right path, but I managed to lose my way<\/p>\n

I\u2019m infatuated with the melody of darkness more and more<\/p>\n

My loneliness makes love to my anxiety<\/p>\n

I dream of a dinner with the angel of death<\/p>\n

The vision of joining him at his table comforts me<\/p>\n

What part of yourself do you see in me?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In another man\u2019s land by Mia<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The journey of being sheltered under venerable conditions aches<\/p>\n

It felt like being in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with no compass<\/p>\n

Yet you still have hope of life<\/p>\n

Imagine learning how to swim without support in the storm<\/p>\n

Remember, no direction to get off to the shore<\/p>\n

2023 was the year I saw a University of Kent Rescue boat<\/p>\n

I waved to them, and they spotted me in the middle of Manchester Sea<\/p>\n

With no one and no support<\/p>\n

They rescued me from the waves I was drowning in<\/p>\n

They welcomed me with the support of learning how to swim<\/p>\n

They gave me shelter<\/p>\n

I found beautiful siblings, old and young<\/p>\n

Aunties and uncles<\/p>\n

Moms and dads<\/p>\n

I found my family where I belong<\/p>\n

How I wish those with power could see how joyful we are<\/p>\n

How I wish they could let us bloom like a spring<\/p>\n

How I wish we had our own world<\/p>\n

How I wish Kent was a planet on its own<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well,<\/p>\n

I believe all this shall pass and we will live in harmony<\/p>\n

I believe we will make the world shine again<\/p>\n

I believe we will bloom like spring<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These performances were met with both laughter and tears, as students and audience members gathered with a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by sanctuary students. The event was not just about poetry\u2014it was about connection, empathy and a shared commitment to supporting those who are rebuilding their lives and finding a new home within our community.<\/p>\n

Support our sanctuary scholars<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Our sanctuary students have made an incredible journey to be here, overcoming immense challenges to pursue their education and aspirations. With the right support, they can continue to thrive.<\/p>\n

You can help by donating to the Sanctuary Fund<\/a>. Your gift provides direct financial assistance to asylum-seeking students, easing their hardships so they can focus on their education and reach their full potential.<\/p>\n

Make a gift today that makes all the difference by <\/strong>clicking here<\/a>. You can also follow Sanctuary<\/em><\/a> on Instagram to stay updated on their initiatives: @sanctuary_ukc<\/a>. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the University of Kent, our commitment to becoming a University of Sanctuary extends beyond providing scholarships to asylum seeking students \u2014we aim to foster … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82219,"featured_media":5337,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[177089,118123,223277],"tags":[88,75224,223277,74],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5336"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82219"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5336"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5336\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5341,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5336\/revisions\/5341"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/development\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}