Nadia Anjuman
Born 1980? – died 4 November 2005 - was a young Afghan poet and journalist.
In 2005, while still a student at Herat University, she had her first book of poetry published, Gul-e-dodi ("Dark Red Flower") which proved popular in Afghanistan and even nearby Iran. Then, on November 4 of that year, police officers found her body in her home in the western city of Herat. Soon afterward, a senior police officer, Nisar Ahmad Paikar, stated that her husband had confessed to battering her, following a row, but not to killing her. It was reported that she died as a result of injuries to her head. (Wikipedia)
I am caged in this cornerfull of melancholy and sorrow ... my wings are closed and I cannot fly ... I am an Afghan woman and so must wail. --Nadia AnjumanI believe [Nadia Anjuman's] death to be a great cultural loss to Afghanistan. It is also a wake-up call to the world. Nadia Anjuman represented the rise of the new generation of Afghan and Islamic women standing tall, making their own decisions, speaking with their own voices, exercising their own power, and discovering their own self-importance. --Thomas Fortenberry
For more on the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan
For an additional tribute, click Nadia Anjuman under Contemporary Poets.
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In the special memorial issue of MindFire, we celebrate the life and death of a world hero with original poems and translations of Nadia's work. Thomas said it better than I can so let's simply go to the tributes.
Nia Sunset - Elegy for Nadia Anjuman (New 11/27/2007)
I have never seen Herat, I did not go. But tonight I saw her face, I heard her voice. Anna Ruiz - Nadia
You are freeAnd your death breaks my wordsKhizra Aslam - Translations
Ghazal 1From this cup of my lips comes a song; It captures my singing soul; my song.zabiska randa shud az jam-e-lub tarana mun shakast-e-zam zama dar ruh-e-shairana mun Ghazal 2There is no desire to speak again; whom to ask, what to say? I, who was treated ill, what should I not read, what not to say?naest shauqi ke zuban baaz kunam az che be'khwanum mun ke mun'foor ze'maanum' che be'khwanum che ne'khwanum Ghazal 3It is night and these words come to me By the call of my voice words come to me shab ast-o-sher mezand sharar be lahza hai'ee mun wa shauq shana me'kashad be rishta sadai'ee mun Nazm O the one who hides in the mountains of unfamiliarity! O that you sleep in the quietness of the pearl. O who remains in the memories!aya tabaei'diyaan koh gumnami! ai gohar an muhataan khafta dar mardaab khamoshi ai mehw-e-gashta yaad ha'taan yaad'haiee aab-e-roshan David Tayyari -Translations
Memories of light blue You, exiles of the mountains of oblivionYou, diamonds of your names sleeping in quagmire of silenceStrands of steelSince my song was rid from cup of lipsbroke the murmur in my poetic spiritChristopher T George - Dark Flower
She spoke out in U.S-liberated Afghanistan, but the old ways drowned her out: Gael Bage - A flower opens to light
A heart full of love, courage and vision pursues a love of poetry. Marty Abuloc - A fallen flower
The sound of a last breath is loud enough to wake a soul at rest, and here in this room Wiltshire - Sevenling (the flower crushed)
the flower crushed curls its petals, releases Antony Adolf - Gule Dudi: In Memoriam
Fists do not feel what they finish,Thomas Fortenberry - Hawkgirl
A captured, wild, dark-haired bird,
she restrained the hawk inside
Gary Blankenship - To Celebrate a Death
The day they shot the poet,we danced around the fountain,poured sour wine and drankEclipse, Dark FlowerThorns in my thin coat pierce my shirt and breasts,
