Aung Way - From Michigan to Nga Moe Yeik

From Michigan to Ngamoeik (1)

Dear friend, Ko Daung.

May you be healthy and well. We, both here and abroad, are very happy to hear and read about the artistic activities of local poets.

The blogger poets here also often share local poetry news on their own blogs.

Here, Saya Maung Taung is the leader and the poets are active. Saya Maung Taung is in New York City. Thit Kaung Eain is in Indiana. Htet Ra Za (this type) is first in Oregon, then in New York State, and now in Colorado. Kyaw Thu Moe Myint from Kyaukse is in Utah. Teacher Kyaw Zaw, who came from the Thai border, is in Pennsylvania. I am in Michigan.

In the liberated areas on the Thai-Burmese border, there were poets Maung Lumanee, Soe Nay Lin (Maung Soe Thit), and Hnin Kha Moe. (Poet Owe Ko Nyein Wai, who returned to the country, also stayed there.) There were also many poets who emerged from the ABSDF student army after the 1984 uprising.

Among them are the poet Kama Pul on the border. Aung Tha Nge in California. Song Yun La in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Nyo Htet (Lam Thit Oo) in Buffalo, New York. That's as far as I can tell. Should we call them armed poets? Comrade Than Khe, the current chairman of the Student Army, is also a poet.

Among those who have come from abroad and are constantly posting their own blogs and poems are Khin Lun from the Nu Po refugee camp on the border (now in New Zealand). Dr. Lwin Swe from Mae Taw Clinic. Kyaw Ko from Bangkok University. Mathadda from Hawaii in America are also trying to develop Burmese poetry from a different perspective.

Yan Naing Htun, Wai Myit Cho from South Korea. Ye Yint Thet Zwe from Japan (now Finland). Ye Nyein. They can also be said to be Burmese poets living abroad. Like them, Saya Win Tint Htun, Saya Maung Hla Win (Myin Chan), Aung Nyein, and Ye Baw Phoe Than Chaung who are living in China’s Shwe Li and Kunming areas are also prominent poets living abroad.

Poetry is a weapon in the struggle for democracy, and Burmese poets in exile are firmly holding on to it. At home, poetry, especially contemporary poetry written by young people, is still subject to arbitrary restrictions and suppression by successive governments.

Burmese society is not separate from poetry. It is not far from poets. However, under the evil dictatorship, poets are oppressed and insulted along with the people. Under the war that has destroyed democracy and human rights, freedom of literature and art has reached zero.

Look back at the political history of Burma over the ages, Ko Daung. The rulers, oppressors, and dictators were especially afraid of the poet. Before independence, during the British colonial era, the great poet, Thakin Htin Kyaw, was listed as enemy number 1 in the so-called BLACKLISTS of the British colonial government. (General Aung San was enemy number 5.)

In the days after the country gained independence, the 100th anniversary of the death of the great monk was banned by the military government in 1956. Thousands of students were arrested in the Hmoingya uprising.

It got worse during the 19th and 20th centuries, Ko Daung. The first poet to be arrested during the 19th centuries was Saya U Tin Moe. Later, poets from the National League for Democracy (NLD), Saya Pyapon Nilong Oo and Saya Monywa Aung Shin, were also arrested. Poet Ma Saeng was tortured to death in prison.

The only censorship agency in Burma, which is not found anywhere else in the world, is the Japanese-era Kimbedai Military Police. Before the 1988 Uprising, when I was a child, I came to that censorship agency. Somehow, Saya Maung Thway Thit had obtained a secret report compiled by the Research Department of the Myanmar Socialist Program Party, Masala Central Headquarters, at that time.

In that secret report, current Burmese poets are grouped together as anti-government. For example, we, Maung Taung, Kyi Aung, Maung Thway Thit, are put under the heading of “Taw Myaw Poets” who write Burmese poetry. Then, we, the young poets, are labeled as “Ame Kyaw Dwe Taw Lwin Poets” because we write free verse, non-rhyme poems. Bad.

Before his death, Saya Mya Than Tint warned us that there were such secret reports during the 19th century as well.

During successive military dictatorships, poets have also been imprisoned, exiled, and exiled abroad.

The military regime held a great grudge against Master Min Thuwan and Master Ban Maw Nyo Nwe, who ran for the NLD and won the 1990 election.

Sayar Kyi Aung and Sayar Ko Lay (Inwa Gonyi) were banned from writing by the military junta for supporting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD. Sayar Kyi Aung has now passed away.

What's happening in our country is that governments are arresting and torturing poets out of fear, thinking they are power hungry.

Aung Way

April 19, 2011.

From Michigan to Ngamoeik (2)

Dear friend, Ko Daung.

I hope you are well. Let me tell you about a poetry recital we held here for those who are far away.

Back home, we were able to hold many poetry recitals. Starting with the “Big Island” poetry recital held every Independence Day on the central beach of the Ayeyarwady River in Magway.

Later, Ko Saw Wai, Ko Zaw Thet Htwe, and I organized the “White Rose” poetry recitation events. And there are also poetry recitation events to commemorate “World Poetry Day” that falls on March 21st every year.

Ko Daung ••• It is difficult to hold poetry recitals abroad. It is not my own country. Abroad, I work as an online poet, there are internet bloggers. I write poems on websites. I write poems on my own blogs. There are few Myanmar magazines, journals, and publications abroad, Ko Daung.

In America, there is the Los Angeles-based “Mandalay Gazette-Nay Pyi Taw” newspaper. There is the New York-based “People’s Opinion” journal. In Japan, “Nutrition” and “Light House” magazines are published regularly. I heard that Singapore also publishes a Myanmar magazine. That’s all.

We write poetry and write in these rare Myanmar magazines. Usually, we go to websites and write. San Francisco-based “Moe Makha” website. New York-based “Bama Today” website. India-based “Mizzima” and Thailand-based “Irrawaddy” websites. London-based “Sky Art”. We go to websites like these.

Sometimes, if the blog owners accept it, they'll let you in. For example, places like Dr. Luen Swe's blog. That's it.

So, the culture of poetry recitation abroad is not allowed to develop and flourish like it is here. The only thing I could do abroad was to record a LIVE SHOW of a poetry recitation at Daung Pyin in Mae Sot in collaboration with the Norwegian-based “Democratic Myanmar Voice” DVB television station to commemorate World Poetry Day in 2008 (March 21).

Sir Maung Kaung, May Nyein, and Khat Ma, in our literary lectures here, we recite some poems related to the history of the country, more or less. But this is a literary lecture. It is not a poetry recital.

In this situation, we were able to hold a poetry recitation event that was very satisfying and joyful for Ko Daw Re. In fact, this poetry recitation event was initiated by our leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

November 13, 2010.

Aung San Suu Kyi's release, Aung San Suu Kyi's speech at the Golden Gate, Aung San Suu Kyi and her young son, Htein Lin