A child of two fears the shadow under his bed,
He cries for a broken toy, or a story to be read.
A shadow circles over Karim’s sky,
A bird watches while the world lives a lie,
His eyes full of redness and a serious cry.
His first steps were so heavy,
Ten hours like a century so weary.
In a land where kids should not learn to run,
At the age of two, under a smoking sun,
The babies have no choice:
To lose your home,
parents,
friends,
childhood,
or to be killed.
Their only crime,
Being born in Gaza.
A story of a stolen peace that must be told,
Of a two-year-old heart, so brave and so bold.
Two Years, Two Worlds by Donya Abu Sitta
Artwork by Donya Abu Sitta
August 22, 2026
