By Mehreen Rashidi
The years of being denied their human rights has seen two teenage girls in Kabul become prolific poets. Now Hadia Hussaini, 18, and Farkhunda Aryan, 19, have self-published a collection of poems titled Diwar-e-Khamosh, or ‘Silent Wall’ in English.
They say the book is an exploration of the feelings, imagination, and thoughts of the two young poets. Both have finished high school, but since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, Ms Hussaini and Ms Aryan have not been able to pursue further education as they hoped because of the Taliban’s decrees.
“When I was deprived of my basic rights in Afghanistan, I tried to raise my voice by writing poetry,” Ms Aryan says.
The pair have lost most of their basic human rights, including opportunities for education, most forms of employment, participation in cultural-artistic programs, travelling without a male chaperone, and even basic sightseeing at a national park or visits to amusement parks. Poetry is a way for them to process the losses.
Ms Aryan gives the example of one of her poems titled ‘Patient Stone’.
Man Haman Sang-e-Sabooram
Kaz dardhaa palahaa mesazam
Ba arezohaye k moddathaast
Mara sada mezanand
In English, it means:
“I am the patient rock
I build stairs from pain
To the wishes that have been calling me
for a long time.”
Ms Aryan says while she was deeply disappointed about being barred from an education, she later had an important realization.
“I realized that they (Taliban) are afraid of women by saying that women are weak, that women should not grow and make the world a better place. This belief made me realize that I must reveal my inner strength and talent more, and make them into a weapon to fight against ignorance,” she says.
For Ms Hussaini, poetry has helped her with the grief and oppression of living under Taliban rule.
“The anomalies of my life forced me to write. Society does not value girls. It considers them a cause of discomfort. The Taliban’s rise to power gave me a strange feeling. It was very difficult, but I prefer to cope and continue my work.
“I said to myself that everyone should continue their work. These anomalies are not permanent and one day we should praise ourselves for not stopping and shining in such situations,” she says.
An excerpt of Ms Hussaini’s poem is:
…“Dar khandahayam wairanahaas
Wairanahaye talkh
Eenja kasi hast?
Aya hast ta begoyad ma mast nistam?
Wairana tarinam”
“… there are ruins in my laughter
Bitter ruins
is there anyone here
Is there to say that I am not drunk?
I am the most ruined!”
The book Diwar-e-Khamosh contains 63 poems in the sepid style – a modern style of Persian free verse.
The girls say that publishing their poems in one book also carries its own message. It shows that as much as they are different writers, they stand together, integrate their thoughts and feelings, and reach for a single outcome. They say the book is not only a form of art, but a symbol of unity, which is valuable and instructive in itself.
The book is only available in PDF format as they didn’t have the finances to have the collection traditionally printed nor any benefactor to help. They have shared the PDF version of the book in WhatsApp groups, with friends, family, and acquaintances, and send it for free to anyone who requests it.
Ms Hussaini says that by writing poetry and publishing it, she wants to show other girls that there are still reasons to be motivated. And she wants to show society that it is not only boys who can bring honor – girls can achieve remarkable success and do valuable work, she says.
Last year with a group of friends, Ms Hussaini formed a group called “Café Mandegar” where they motivate each other to write and recite poetry, read books, write stories and share their learnings. She adds that because of the restrictions on girls, they are not able to meet and gather in person, so they do their meet ups and sessions online.
While their book explores some of the heavier emotions and challenges they have been through, the pair have strong personal messages of hope to other girls.
“I want to say to girls of my age that they should never stop trying. Age is not important, but human effort is. Be strong and motivated,” Ms Hussaini says.
Ms Aryan says: “Never wait for the situation to improve, but make the situation better for yourself. Avoid small and negative thoughts and be ambitious.”
They say that they have been thrilled with how the book has been received so far. Since the collection was published, they have received encouragement to continue writing even more.
