• Combining poems by contemporary Burmese poets along with their life stories, this book demonstrates the power of the written word
The history of Myanmar can be told through its poets, from the fight against colonialism to the modern day struggle for democracy. Much of this tradition is barely known in the west. Frontline Poets is an inspiring, revelatory and heart wrenching account of how several poets in Myanmar ditched their comfortable lives to join dangerous protests, form armed groups and to be on the front line of a revolution.
Combining poems by contemporary Burmese poets along with their life stories. The book demonstrates the power of the written word and is both a parallel story of Burmese political turmoil and the life-affirming power of literature.
The history of Myanmar can be told through its poets, from the fight against colonialism to the modern day struggle for democracy. Much of this tradition is barely known in the west. Frontline Poets is an inspiring, revelatory and heart wrenching account of how several poets in Myanmar ditched their comfortable lives to join dangerous protests, form armed groups and to be on the front line of a revolution.
Arvustused
Frontline Poets was featured in a piece by the Sunday Times. - Sunday Times
Introduction
A Note on Names and Translation
Part 1 Metamorphosis
Chapter 1 The Last Dream
Chapter 2 A Town Different From its Name
Chapter 3 Image
Chapter 4 Three-Finger Salute
Chapter 5 Sunflower Trauma
Part 2 Damn Strong Monywa
Chapter 6 Are the Trees Greener Outside?
Chapter 7 Po Maung is Coming
Chapter 8 Peoples Will
Chapter 9 A Deserter Goes to War
Part 3 Lay Kay Kaw Paris
Chapter 10 The River of T-Shirts
Chapter 11 What Have You Left?
Chapter 12 Look at the Zoo
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Aung Naing Soe is a Burmese filmmaker and journalist. As a Hubert H. Humphrey fellow at Arizona State University, he covered immigration, the coronavirus outbreak, and the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2020, he went home for the general election and witnessed the military coup. He now covers civil unrest in Myanmar from his base in Thailand. Joe Freeman is an American writer and researcher who has worked at the Phnom Penn Post newspaper and covered the democratic transition in Myanmar as a freelance journalist. In 2017 he came to Thailand as Southeast Asia correspondent for Agence France-presse. Since 2021 he has worked for Amnesty Internationals regional office.
