That is what you as well have become, bearing witness to society’s injustices, prejudices and inability to understand that no matter what society might do to a poet, the poet’s words will still be free in the minds of the readers, and continue to conjure up ideas, engage the mind in conversation. King Lear, imprisoned at the end of the play with his daughter Cordelia, tells her that they will become “God’s spies”. It’s almost an impertinence, I feel, to write to a poet who is being kept behind bars for her words and beliefs. I find his letter both touching and sincere and hope that it, in some degree, alleviates and comforts Mahvash Sabet and all her sister and brother Bahá’ís-and indeed all prisoners of conscious-in their unjust imprisonment. This is one of many open letters by leading authors written to defend persecuted writers. (See below.) The letter was published in the British newspaper The Guardian on Monday, November 10th in recognition of tomorrow, November 15th, the Day of the Imprisoned Writer. During her incarceration, Mahvash has published a wonderful and inspiring book of poetry about her experiences in prison. Below is the letter he wrote to Mahvash Sabet, a Bahá’í and prisoner of conscious in Iran. Alberto Manguel is a well known and celebrated Argentine-born Canadian anthologist, translator, essayist, novelist and editor.
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