The Young Poet and the Baroness: a poem on the storm

I've been based in UK since 2014 and I don't want to stay here talking about how David Cameron's choice to hold this bloody referendum can be politically, tactically, economically and socially wrong. Since the poor Jo Cox was murdered because of her beliefs, shot and stubbed multiple times, in Her Majesty's kingdom cases of racism are been increasing. Here in Manchester just few days ago 3 men were charged of racists abuses and arrested. By a sheer accident, while I was reading the newspaper on the bus, I found this poem and I feel deeply moved in this feeling.

In all this chaos I choose to focus my attention in on a gentle and strong poem and there was a clear link between some of my pictures and him poetry. I was so touched , so I decided to find and get to know this sensible person. Thanks to the web I found him and I had the chance to know who he was.

Visiting his wall on Facebook I saw his excitment for the unaspected popularity of his poem.

So I chat with him

I'm Zeki ! I was born in Bulgaria where I also grew up, but I'm originally Kurdish from Aleppo, Syria (Both my parents are).

I speak 5 languages, study another 2 and I am a film student. I write a LOT, record music at times and well write films which I also try and direct.

I've never been in Bulgaria, but I know there are many contrasts against middle eastern people in this historical moment. How do you live this situation?

Well sadly xenophobia and this sort of problems are all too common to the world, now and you must learn to accept that some people due to ignorance or an uneducated fear will hate you just for having a different skin color or a different religion. Thankfully in Bulgaria I haven't had too many problems, perhaps because I am fluent in the language but I've never denied who I am or where I'm from; when I meet peoples the first thing I tell them is that I am Syrian and their reaction to that tells me a lot about the person, so it's a good thing also because it saves me time when communicating. Nonetheless it is an issue here for sure because there's a lot of senseless hate towards my people and that saddens me but good people are also everywhere to give hope that it's certain individuals that hate and not the community as a whole.

When did you start to be passionate in arts?

Since I was conscience of my existence ahhaha

When I was younger I would perform at school plays and sing a lot.

I always knew I wanted to do something related to cinema, because I always loved imagining different worlds and as I got older that need became stronger since the world got darker.

How can art influence people? how important is make art for the social?

Art is a voice to the voiceless. No matter if you're in a situation like the people of Syria or you're simply in love...you draw, write poetry or sing because of something you have deep inside you that must be shared with the world. I write poetry because that's my way of expressing myself and making sense of this war and the tragedies that come with it. It has always been like that though, if we look through history all that every artist ever did was express themselves.

That's why I also write music and record it. Not long ago rap was a form of revolution in the States and I strongly believe we need that sort of cultural revolution in Syria as it seems that this is the only way we can get out message across...through art.

Which artist influenced you?

Poets like the great Khalil Gibran, Nizar Qabbani and many Bulgarian poets that I grew up reading (school forced me ahahha) got me into poetry. People like Tupac Shakur really changed my way of thinking and influenced the way I write.

Are you Muslim? if yes, how does it influence your artistic production?

I am Muslim. Much of my poetry, and the book I'm currently working on, has a lot of middle eastern elements that are constantly occurring (for example the olive tree which is all over my country). My religion - or perhaps the way my parents raised me and taught me to interpret it- also gave me a huge respect and admiration for women which is also a large portion of my work. My religion sort of gave me a more innocent view on life and encouraged me to write words of hope at times when it seemed hardest for me to do so.

Why women?

Well I was raised in a Kurdish family and women play a huge role in our society. I was taught to respect and that the prophets of my religion saw women as equals and that the woman is the strongest of us. After all a woman is the one who gives life, raises a child and teaches it the most. But it's doesn't come to just her being a mother. As I mentioned, as a Kurd women play a huge role in our society and the way our culture is moulded.

Is there something you wish to say?

my message is to young artists and is to listen that voice in your soul that tells you who they really are. You have to do what you love. You have to live doing what you love. Life is indeed a beautiful yet a hard journey and if we don't do what our souls desire then it will be much more harder to exist. Draw, sing, write and inspire others to the best of your ability. Never give up on what you believe and always seek more knowledge as it is power...if that makes sense hahahaha

Zeki Majed, 20, film student