.
A January 2008 issue of the magazine Love Journal featured a poem by the well-known Burmese poet Saw Wei. This "love poem" was also an acrostic poem, in which the first letter of each line are combined to spell a word or phrase. In this case, loosely translated: General Than Shwe is power-crazed. Saw Wei has been in prison for his criticism of the head of Burma's ruling junta since January and on November 10th, a two-year sentence was handed down.
For more information see here. In regard to formal protests see here (US) and here.
(Please note that Int. PEN recommends that protest NOT be sent directly to Burma, as it may prove counter affective).
‘February 14th’ by Saw Wei
Arensberg said:
Only once you have experienced deep pain
And madness
And like an adolescent
Thought the blurred photo of a model
Great art
Can you call it heartbreak.
Millions of people
Who know how to love
Please clap your gilded hands
And laugh out loud.
----------------
Trans. Anon
Code: the first syllables say Ar (Arensberg), Na (pain), Yu (mad), Gyi (great), Hmu (Blurred), Gyi (age/big), Than (million), Shwe (gilded)
Which spells
Ar-na-yu-gyi Hmu-gyi Than Shwe - Power-crazed Senior General Than Shwe(author retains copyright)
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