Superheroes
Innocence Lost: A Poignant Tale Through a Child's Superhero Sketch
Lyrics
the way he looks at me,
The way the boy looks at the speaker.
i feel like a hologram.
The speaker feels insubstantial or disconnected, like a hologram.
this boy,
Referring to the boy in focus.
barely double figures.
The boy is very young, possibly around ten years old.
we're metres from men
The speaker and the boy are close to armed men.
dressed in helmets and shields
The armed men wear helmets and shields.
fingers
The men are ready to use their fingers on triggers.
inches from triggers.
The proximity to danger is emphasized.
his knock-off Barcelona shirt
The boy wears a fake Barcelona shirt as a memento from home.
is all that's left from home.
This shirt is the only tangible connection to his home.
the bulldog in the ballot box
A reference to political changes, possibly Brexit.
is taking back control.
Suggests a reclaiming of control, possibly political or nationalistic.
these orphans, left inhuman,
People left without support or protection, dehumanized.
are aching for a chance.
Those affected yearn for an opportunity.
the ringing in his ears
The boy may suffer from ringing in his ears, possibly due to stress.
might be tinnitus or trauma.
Suggests possible health issues like tinnitus or trauma.
his trainers,
The boy's shoes are too small, highlighting discomfort.
a size too small.
Illustrates the physical challenges the boy faces.
clutching paperwork to exercise
The boy carries documents asserting his right to be in Britain.
his legal right to Britain,
The government responds to immigration with larger barriers.
whose government responded
Reflects the tightening of immigration policies.
by building bigger walls.
Building walls metaphorically or literally.
he travelled with his dad,
The boy traveled with his father, who is no longer alive.
but his dad's no longer with us.
Emphasizes the boy's loss and difficult circumstances.
sweating at the break of dawn,
Describes the challenging journey, starting early in the morning.
in the sunlight, he shivers.
Despite the sunlight, the boy shivers, indicating vulnerability.
his mother, and his sister,
The boy's mother and sister didn't survive their journey.
never made it out of Syria:
Tragic loss of family members.
Syria, so sinister,
Syria is portrayed as sinister and inhospitable.
he could no longer return.
The boy can't return to his homeland due to the circumstances.
nearly a thousand children
Many children are stuck in this nightmarish situation.
in this nightmare called home,
The harsh reality of the home they are forced to live in.
and 78% of them
A significant portion of these children are alone.
are living here alone.
Highlighting the vulnerability of unaccompanied children.
we're standing in the school.
The scene shifts to a school setting.
Marco is the teacher.
Introduces Marco, the teacher.
he's got a sofa now, in Newcastle,
Marco now resides in Newcastle but remains involved.
but he's still a weekly feature.
He maintains a consistent presence in the lives of the children.
he said:
Direct quote from Marco.
draw your favourite superhero,
Marco instructs the children to draw their favorite superhero.
with pencils, and a pad.
The medium for expression is pencils and a pad.
this boy sat in silence
The featured boy is silent during this activity.
and drew a picture
The boy draws a picture, likely expressing his longing for his deceased father.
of his dad.
The drawing depicts the boy's father as his superhero.
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