Daily Archives: June 14, 2011
Prison for a Poet
Imagine it’s a Tuesday night, you are seated in the Langston room enjoying an awesome night of poetry. A pronominal poet starts to spit verses about the inequalities and injustices in the country. She shouts “We are the people who will kill humiliation and assassinate misery. Don’t you hear their cries? Don’t you hear their screams?”. At the end of the poem everyone gives her a standing ovation for her creativity, her passion, & her bravery. Yes her bravery. As shortly after that poem the fiery poet is arrested for what amounts to treason.
That’s what happened to Ayat al-Qurmezi in Dubai after reciting poetry criticizing Bahrain’s king and prime minister in Pearl Square. She was arrested, tortured and a few days ago sentenced to a year in prison. Please keep her in your prayers and be thankful for the free speech that we enjoy.
Prison for a Poet
Imagine it’s a Tuesday night, you are seated in the Langston room enjoying an awesome night of poetry. A pronominal poet starts to spit verses about the inequalities and injustices in the country. She shouts “We are the people who will kill humiliation and assassinate misery. Don’t you hear their cries? Don’t you hear their screams?”. At the end of the poem everyone gives her a standing ovation for her creativity, her passion, & her bravery. Yes her bravery. As shortly after that poem the fiery poet is arrested for what amounts to treason.
That’s what happened to Ayat al-Qurmezi in Dubai after reciting poetry criticizing Bahrain’s king and prime minister in Pearl Square. She was arrested, tortured and a few days ago sentenced to a year in prison. Please keep her in your prayers and be thankful for the free speech that we enjoy.