In commemoration of World Poetry Day, yesterday, 21st of March, we chose to celebrate the poetry of Sahat, a refugee from Myanmar currently in Bangladesh. They take us through the bittersweet memories of their former life and express their hopes and resolutions for a peaceful Myanmar in the future.

About the Poet: My name is Sahat @ Zia Hero Naing. I am 26 years old. I was a college student in Myanmar before I came to Bangladesh in 2017. I live with my family in the camp and work as a volunteer in an international NGO, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC Bangladesh).

The traumatic memories in Myanmar and the current dire situation of my community in refugee camps inspire me to write poetry. My creative writing poetry represents some of the voices and messages on behalf of Rohingya community and generally the feelings of my people and myself. I write poetry from the bottom of my heart for the purpose of sharing my peoples suffering to the rest of the world. “Art is my best friend to whom I can share my happiness and sadness whenever I need”

In this poem I expressed my precious life that I had left in Myanmar. I miss the memories of my past. I also shared my feelings about what I want in my future and who I want to be in my future.

Rohingya Realities, Rohingya Futures

Once, in a corner on this earth
A golden land like a paradise
Birds were flying,
flowers were blooming,
The flute of air in the sky, I love the most

Once in my home, the loving one
The balmy and comfort bedroom,
a window to the scented park
The smell of field – honey to my nose
The songs of sparrows so melodic

That’s a rosy past I often miss
A dreamy world I left
Just some stresses remain
Life of a high-flying gone
Ached my world by the hearts of stone

But I have the strength to rebuild it
I still desire, ever hoping
The future after the Naf river
A high fencing before the freedom
I’m waiting at the gate, in thirst of peace

Even if I close my eyes
I can see the playing days with my friends in childhood
The college’s gate, my college days,
studying nights, the candle light
the parties on holidays
I can feel my lively and lusty life

I want again my all glorious times
I want to fall in love again with books
Let me embrace my motherland again
Let me die there at the end
I want myself lay to rest,
within the soil of my native land
within the soil of my native land