Poets in prison

Poets in Prison
By Leandra Gebrakedan

Sakit Zahidov was pardoned under an amnesty act passed in March 2009 by the country’s parliament,. Talking about his future plans, he added "I am going to publish my poems"
Journalist and poet Shi Tao, 38, is serving a 10-year prison sentence after being arrested in 2004.
Are we going to be silent, and not protest as this is happening next door.

Fessahaye Yohannes (known as "Joshua"), a journalist, playwright, poet, father of three, , is reported to be dead as a result of severe ill-treatment and denial of medical care in a secret prison in northern Eritrea in 2007.
God bless his soul may he find peace in heaven.

Marcos Ana was only 19 when he was captured and thrown in jail by the military forces of General Franco. In September 2007, he published his memoir, Decidme cómo es un árbol (“Tell Me What a Tree Looks Like”),
The simple things we take for granted, we then miss, with such agony it feels like our hearts being poked by a spike.

On 23 September 2008 Win Tin as released after 19 years behind bars, while in prison Win Tin wrote poems on the walls of his cell with ink made of brick powder and water.
Tales like this will inspire us all, brother, sister, mother or daughter.

In December 1990 Amnesty International raised the case of the imprisoned Sudanese poet Mahjoub Sharif. After Mahjoub Sharif left prison in August 2008 wrote to people who sent him cards to invite them, after 17 years, to a thank you party.
A celebration I'm sure which was warm and hearty.

Think how lucky we are to be able to write, and have them published on poetry sites.
Never take for granted, be thankful, each day, and to the oppressive governments together we should write.