Parwana Amiri is an author, poet and activist from Afghanistan who is living in Greece since September 2019. Her poetry may seem softly written, but it contains hidden stories and bitter truths.
in this poem she wants the readers to see the world as if they were part of everything that happens in the world. To listen to each one and to judge the decisions. To know that everyone is strong enough to make changes, find alternatives and prevent more people from sinking in the tigris of hardships .
An Illustration by Shukran Shirzad, an Afghani artist living in Greece
This illustration is an real image of how Moria refugee camp in Lesvos looked, and sometimes it is not really necessary to go depth of a scene and see all details of the terrible condition we live in, but it is enough to only understand and realise the tragedies.
Up to down
I see thousand individuals
Who are stuck in a hell
Where demons are rulers
And liberation seekers criminals
.
Here is the world of wounded
Our injuries are not covered
Our tents are under rains
Our souls are dormant in pains
.
When the world wants to stop me
And the words want to sustain me
I get support from all those
That have stood behind me
.
I don’t find depth in loudness
For loudest words are not deepest
I find my world in my words
And my words in my world
.
When we stand for our rights
You can imagine those nights
We slept hungry under tents
Far away, next to snowy mountains
.
If you are up and see us down
Put yourself instead of us once
Where we suffer you are able
To stand, to act for evacuation