Sentenced after false confessions
kidnapped into custody,
deprived of citizenship, being forced
upon himself the burden
of a country, he’s denounced,
being forced to carry on his back
the crimes of others.
Once he published books
from a place of freedom
now absorbed and crushed
by the power of a newborn beast
with its craving stretching
far deeper than the graves
of dissidents, he draws upon
his prison walls a door
to freedom far away from
his place within
the dragon’s swollen belly
Today Paul from Paul of Parallax guest hosts at dVerse with a prompt about poets and writers that are being incarnated for their writings. I think this is a good time to bring attention to Swedish-Chinese writer, publisher, and prison poet Gui Minhai. Who was abducted from Thailand and brought into mainland China where he later publically admitted to “something”. He is still separated from friends and family from outside China.
May 16, 2023
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Thank you for highlighting his case Bjorn. So sad to read about his plight and being: crushed
by the power of a newborn beast.
His daughter is very active trying to raise concern for him and other political prisoners.
This to me is the symptom of all industrialized nations and what will be the end of us:
“craving stretching
far deeper than the graves
of dissidents,”
You capture the dread of being at the whim of that craving very well here.
I hadn’t heard of this Swedish-Chinese writer, publisher, and prison poet, Björn, and I thank you for bringing him to my attention. I like the bio-poem, a neat way of sharing information and raising interest. These lines are especially powerful:
‘…absorbed and crushed
by the power of a newborn beast
with its craving stretching
far deeper than the graves
of dissidents’.
Actually his daughter lives in Cambridge working on a PhD…
That’s interesting.
The power of inhumanity and paranoid tyrannical government. I like how you highlight the grief of incarceration and contrast it with the inner world of the hope of the poet. Thank you for bringing Gui Minhai to us Bjorn.
Hi, thanks for sharing Gui Minhai’s story. It truly seems he’s been swallowed by a dragon. I will send him messages of light and hope. Carys
A powerful poem – and so important to write.
“he draws upon
his prison walls a door
to freedom far away from
his place within
the dragon’s swollen belly”
💔
Heart aching.
A very sad story of supression and lack of freedom! Well done.
A sad and touching story, making me feel awful for thinking that at least, we get the poetry – just wish we would do something more about it. Thank you for sharing their story!