Shogofa was born in Kabul and then lived in Mazar-i-Sharif, where she finished high school. She participated in the Foundation Studies Program at American University of Afghanistan. She hopes to complete her college degree and become a lawyer.
Stop crying my heart
Be strong in this unfair world
Be strong… be strong
I want to fly in the sky far from this earth, / to make my own world there with the clouds. / I want to write my hope, my wishes on the white clouds, / I want to fly in the sky.
I will make my heart my world
There I can laugh / I can hear
I can talk / I can find myself.
When can I see smiles of happiness and peace on Afghan people’s faces? When will I see pens in my people’s hands instead of guns?
I remember her smiling face whenever I am sad, and her soft voice comes to me, telling me not to lose my courage. I try to follow her way of being brave. I remember everything about her, and I do what she told me. I try to be like her—walk like her, with dignity and grace, and talk like her, being very serious. Whenever she talked, she gave everyone hope word by word. When she spoke with others, she spoke nicely, and could always convince people of anything.
I will be your shadow when you are alone. / I will be your ship when you descend, deep / into sorrow’s river. / I will be your smile when you are sad. / I will be your tears when you cry. / I will be your wings when you want to fly.
I looked at the sky… out of the window / It was filled with the sounds of black clouds / I was alone, silence surrounded me / Talking with my heart…talk alone / Alone teaches me how it is painful to be alone
The reason I want to meet President Obama is to share with him all the tears of my people. I know I can’t write about all our problems in one or two pages, and I know my letter can’t clean the tears from my people’s eyes. But I write it anyway.
Come together—begin a new day. / We want peace—come together. / Desire life together, / We want to build our home with mortar of love, / Together we hold the hands of our homeless. / Together—we need to understand each other. / We are from one land. Come together.
The Afghan Women's Writing Project : Dedicated to the Memory of Zarmeena
Security notice:
The security situation can be difficult for many women in Afghanistan, especially those who are determined to further their education or those who frankly tell their stories. Out of concern for their safety, this blog will not use family names or specific locators.
Afrikaans