by Jean’Py and Nalougo
On March 10, 2025, TogetherintheUK in partnership with Freedom from Torture and Palewell Press hosted a Refugee Poetry Hour. You can find some of the beautiful poems read here:
Introduction to Jean’Py’s poetry
Jean’Py is a refugee from Central Africa. He was a Christian leader in his country and worked as an IT engineer. After being imprisoned three times for political reasons, he fled to the UK following persecutions by his government. He has been a member of Write to Life for eight years.
My Congo Garden by Jean’Py
Last summer,
Last summer,
sitting on the sofa
watching a movie with my kids.
A postman knocks on my front door.
What a surprising day!
It arrives in a decorative box.
Tear off the sellotape – here it is
My Congo Garden.
The first shock –
The vivid green grass, floods the whole room.
My glorious Congo Garden.
The fountain waters the olive tree,
fills the pond with fish,
and the soil with abundant healthy vegetables.
My fertile Congo Garden.
Seated on my Congo Garden’s chair
I stretch my feet out, on the table
in absolute silence.
My peaceful Congo Garden.
Listening to the lively chatter of the birds,
healing flows inside me.
Relaxed
Congo’s fragrance from the trees.
My soothing Congo Garden.
What a delightful moment!
I now could put it in my pocket.
Walk everywhere with it,all over London.
My personal Congo Garden.
In the bus, underground or train
You become my everyday companion
I could not live without you.
My lovely Congo Garden.
Introduction to Nalougo’s poetry
Nalougo is a science teacher from the Ivory Coast who has been coming to Write to Life since 2019. Before joining the group, he wasn’t aware of his poetic gift. He speaks French and Senoufo, and writing in a new language has helped him express himself and relieve his inner sorrow. Through resilience and dedication, Nalougo earned a scholarship and successfully completed his BEng in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at UCL, despite all he has endured. He believes everyone should join Write to Life.
Compassion:
Despite all the difficulties I was facing – the stress and the hardships I had endured – from the moment I arrived, Freedom From Torture did not first look at my skin colour, my culture, or my religion. They supported me as best they could, sharing my pain and my anxieties. I still remember a meeting with a member of FFT, whose name I will withhold, where I was in tears. That person even cried with me, without hesitation, without looking away. This shows just how much I was supported, how they stood by me in my darkest moments, and how their compassion helped me find hope again.
Compassion by Nalougo
In the shadow of inner suffering,
In the depths of my tormented mind
There was a deafening silence.
I needed a calming hand to soothe my anguish.
You saw my distress
My face marked by trials and sorrow,
You refused to see me suffer.
You refused to see me lose my reason to live.
To put an end to this distress,
Regardless of the colour of my skin,
my religion or my culture,
With tenderness and love,
you reached for my hand,
and offered a blessed sanctuary.
You gave me a shoulder to lean on
To calm the storms that raged in my heart
To quiet a mind racked with phantom memories.
With you I shared my weeping.
At the same time,
You wiped my tears without considering yours,
which flowed because of me.
Through these gestures
You bandaged my wounds.
You gave me hope.
You gave me a second chance to live.
It has been said
To heal the wounds of the dead soul,
Compassion envelops each in its tender embrace
Brings hope and comfort, in the darkness of life.
We should all remember this:
We offer compassion
Because we too will long for it, one day.
TIME by Nalougo
In the midst of the succession of events and phenomena
inaccurate chronometer, which deceives us
We can neither see it,
nor smell it,
nor touch it
neither direct nor modify it
It runs, and leaves us no reprieve
no right of appeal
It flees like a bird in the night
flows through our fingers like liquid
Assassin, it kills each successive day
It goes too fast
It’s like money
when we give it to one place, we can’t give it to another
But it gives us one advantage: the privilege of age
With it,
happiness comes by
love takes root
knowledge grows
wisdom is acquired
with the passage of time.
It is often said, ‘Let’s give time to time’
But we always forget to ask,
Is there any time to give?
We only have a handful of sand left to live our life
by doing good deeds with joy and happiness
So, let’s take advantage of the time that has been gifted us
Marvel at the world around us
before life catches up with us,
and fills us with regret.
