Green tree / Bearing red light / You hang red light / For festivals / Inside that light / You will find / The secret / Search that secret / You will find / Treasure of skin-covered ruby / Formed granular
The Fake Talib
December 20, 2009 3 Comments
During the Taliban regime, all Afghan shopkeepers were required to lock their doors at 1 p.m and go to the masjeed (mosque) for prayer. Islam says that we shouldn’t pressure Muslims to pray; they should know themselves to pray, and know when prayer time is. But in the Taliban period, those who kept their shops open during prayer time were punished.
Every Time
December 20, 2009 7 Comments
Every time you walk out the door, / I feel my heart pounding more / Wondering what I have done wrong, / To make you look down. / I want to run after you and say / “I’m sorry.”
Because I Am a Woman
December 20, 2009 10 Comments
When I open my eyes to this world, everyone turns sad. / When they learn my gender, people say oh my God. / When I am small and need my father’s love and kindness, he turns his back on me, giving all his love to his sons instead.
Music of My Childhood
December 17, 2009 4 Comments
I feel better when I sing, so every morning before I get up, I try to sing a song. It reminds me of the best part of my childhood.
As a child, I wasn’t allowed to play. My mother and father said to me: “You’re a girl. You must be shy and quiet, like a good girl.” I accepted that. I didn’t go out to play.
A Special Request
December 17, 2009 1 Comment
In Farsi, we say that death without tears, food without salt, women without beauty, and weddings without music are impossible. I believe music is the food of our soul. When I listen to my favorite songs, I put everything else into the bag of forgetfulness and listen deeply.
In recent years, music has been very expensive, so I am happy that the BBC Persian service has a program on Afghan music…
An Afghan Girl Plays Basketball
December 16, 2009 3 Comments
I have always been enthusiastic about sports, but when I was younger, I was told only boys could play sports, which disappointed me and made me regret being a girl.
On my way to the U.S. as a high school exchange student, I stopped in Tajikistan, and a friend of mine who used to be a basketball player taught me the basic moves.
Where the Wild Dogs Were
December 14, 2009 6 Comments
Last week I was coming home tired, thirsty and hungry, carrying heavy bags full of food and needs for the house. Although I work and study, I am responsible for the work around the house I want to support my family, be someone kind for them and take care of them. But the home environment is cold and broken.
Refugee Camp in Holland – Part III: Ali’s Story, Continued
December 14, 2009 3 Comments
Ali spent a few more months in jail, and then he got a letter from the judge saying it was a mistake. He was not involved in this particular case. But when he was released from jail, he was not happy at all. His head hung between his shoulders, as if his soul had flown out of his body. His wife and in-laws were waiting for him.
The Bamiyan Buddhas
December 14, 2009 5 Comments
On the morning of March 9, 2001, we were all sitting near the table waiting for Father to join us for breakfast. My father came out of the bathroom and turned on the radio. He used to listen to the radio even when we didn’t have electricity. He would use the batteries to listen to the news. After a minute, we heard a BBC report that in Bamiyan, the Taliban…
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