A tear comes down their face,
Every drop is like a spear hitting our hearts,
Change the world, change their fates.
By Ashlyn Tupangaia, Year 8
The above poem was written as part of a Year 8 Human Rights Torch project at the Indooroopilly State School in Brisbane. This poem was selected as the winner; there were also other inspiring words written by the dedicated students which follow this article.
While the Human Rights Torch Relay was particularly initiated to stop the organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners and to bring about an end to the persecution of people for their spiritual beliefs in China, it has also been educational in raising awareness of human rights — what they are and what can happen if they are not respected.
A number of schools around Australia have embraced the Human Rights Torch Relay as an educational tool, including the Echuca Primary School (picture with 1964 Olympian Jan Becker) that last week granted each of its 100 students the opportunity to walk with the torch as it moved around the busy inland river port of Victoria.
More poems written by students from Indooroopilly State School below:
Poems from students from Indooroopilly State School in Brisbane
The tomorrow I'll help is nothing,
The actions are everything,
The speechless people,
Who get punished for nought.
They have no voice,
But we have one now,
So let's use it for good,
And make more of us happy,
Let's help turn these bright lights on,
Until we have a world of pleasure.
By Monique Launder, Year 8
We have love
For those who care
And love us
But we will always remember them
In our hearts
And in their hearts
Together
We will always be
By Simon Otero, Year 8
Children lying in the street
Estranged parents they'll never meet
Rumbling bellies never fed
People leaving them for dead
Never cared for, never found
Lying, freezing on the ground.
By Jack Harris, Year 8
Why are they orphaned?
Why does nobody want them?
They haven't done anything wrong
Why do people kill their family?
Why does the family leave?
And let them be taken away?
Those poor sad faces trying
Never to see their family again.
By Jess Beaumont, Year 8
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