By Nurul Hidayah Hassan

She is a Malaysian student living life to the fullest in New York City yet longing for the day she could come home again.

your hands and mine can intertwine,

yet you choose to close up and avoid mine.

you clench your fist, up in the air,

the power, the force fueling up those who dare,

for ignorance to set in and awareness to shy away,

while my hands stay low,

grasping around for hands that are not raised for war, searching for hands of unity. for hands of peace.

I kept mine open, always.

for I believe the future will be better.

I miss the comfort of our hands held together,

strong, firm, united.

Because I believe open hands are nicer, much more gentle, inviting,

whereas yours can be daunting,

haunting the nightmares of chaos.

I kept my hands open,

for my prayers to Him,

that we all are united, no longer divided.

Because your hands and mine can intertwine.

one day, your hands will no longer avoid mine…