Poetry and books
Writing home: a Scottish PEN initiative
To mark Refugee Week Scotland 2009 Scottish PEN* invited poetry and prose from refugees, asylum seekers, and those whose first language is not English to appear alongside the work of professional writers who are members of Scottish PEN.
Linda Cracknell, Convenor of Scottish PEN's Writers in Exile Committee, says "The collection which has resulted from our invitation provides an introduction to some new writers in Scotland, and reminders of well-known names.
This has been an opportunity to highlight the range of writing and writers living in Scotland in a very practical way. We've been especially pleased to encourage the kind of collaboration that enables work from writers for whom English is not their first language to reach a wider readership, and are grateful to those who worked with writers to translate their work."
Below are samples of the work received. The full texts and author details may be viewed here.
* Scottish PEN is part of an international network of writers who strive to protect writers and freedom of expression and promote the free exchange of literature and ideas around the globe. Further information can be found at www.scottishpen.org
Apposite colours
When I see it by its golden frame,
And its apposite colours,
The orange sun,
The green,
And the Silver River,
On the bank of the river,
Small, safe house of wood;
I remember my childhood.
Faares Mahdy with Jessica Parkinson
The way home
When the sun occupies the heart of the sky in summer, like nowadays, it is not so easy to leave.
At that time of day, outdoor workers like me are compelled to look for any slithers of shadow that remain for use as shelter, even though they have all escaped.
My eyelids used to close automatically to avoid the dazzling sunlight reflected on the sharp teeth of the new, America-made, barbed-wire which squats on the top of the old corroded mesh fence from Saddam days.
Every day, at such times of work, I remember that I must bring my sun glasses next time to avoid getting back memories of the pain that I felt before when I fell on wires like those (barbed or concertina wires) on one of my visits to an American base to find work.
At such times, and especially when my young manager is in his office watching the site from his large, clean window, I have to show more activity in giving guidance to the concrete-casting Iraqi workers. I hope to become a permanent employee in the near future instead of temporary because this company would allow permanent employees to stay over night.
The land which was given to this company by the US authorities is much bigger than the lands given to other companies working inside Baghdad International Airport, which is part of an American base called Camp Victory...
Kusay Hussein with Sue Reid Sexton
Home
I live in a flat and always dreamed of living in a big villa with beautiful lush green lawns on both front and back sides of the villa and the entrance gate welcomed by red and rust flowers. One day while I enjoyed my walk and the cold chilled breeze accompanied me, I was wrapped with my overcoat and a muffler around my neck and suddenly I noticed a young girl sitting on the side of the footpath ...
Shaista Asad
Unruly Night
"It is early morning ...
The city is still deep in slumber"
and I have yet to sleep
a bird has fluttered off my chest,
and fled,
soaring above the clouds
heading for the south east
Iyad Hayatleh, translated by Bouzekr Ettaouchi
Memories
The mud wall I used to wrap my arms around and cry
The huge green tree and under its shadow I used to lie
I remember the tight streets of my village
The dancing mustard fields
And the blossoming of flowers in my valley
Shamylla Syed
For more about these poems and poets, in English and Roman Urdu, click here
Casting light on refugee issues
Remzije Sherifi worked as a journalist with Radio Gjilan in Kosova. She lost her job, and almost her life, as the Milosevic regime steadily tightened its grip on the Albanian people who lived there.
In "Shadow Behind the Sun" she recounts her family's history to shine a new light on the terrible events of the 1990s. Now a British citizen she has made her commitment to Asylum Seekers and other refugees, working with the Maryhill Integration Network in Glasgow.
For more information on how to order this book click here to visit the Amazon website.