Little T: "Me and Spring"
We continue to hear positive feedback about how touched listeners were after hearing the interview with Little T. The story of her development into an activist ready to do anything to preserve the freedom of her people was as heart-breaking as it was powerful. What many listeners might not have known is that the poem reading in the beginning of the episode is actually from Little T herself, and is a poem that she in fact wrote on February 24th. The original poem in Burmese can be seen in the accompanying photo, and she worked with an editor to render it into English before reading it on the episode. In describing the purpose for the poem, she writes:
“When I wrote the poem, it was like I was talking to this imaginary friend and comrade, 'Spring'. I wanted to say that me and Spring will never leave each other regardless of the circumstances; we will fight until justice prevails and revolution wins; we will continue working for social and transactional justice; we will still be working for the nation's rehabilitation and rebuilding process; we will work for community development; we will follow our dream. It is like until our last breath, me and the Spring - my imaginary friend and comrade, will work together towards our goal and for the things that we value. I hope I explain well enough.”
Dear Spring,
When we get exhausted during the revolution,
Please send the breeze to convey an encouraging message.
Dear Spring,
Just as yellow leaves fall off trees and decay,
May injustice come to an end,
May the dictatorship fall.
Dear Spring,
Just as young leaves sprout and bloom again,
May we restore a genuine democracy,
May it represent all our ethnic nationalities,
May a Federal Democracy system be successfully brought to us.
Dear Spring,
Let cuckoos relay the whisper from our beloved, ethnic nationality brothers and sisters,
To sing along in a song for peace and justice.
Dear Spring,
Just as a sweet scent freshens the atmosphere after a rain
May the entire universe be scented with love and compassion,
May devotion and bravery be honoured,
May justice prevail
May Myanmar be reborn and thrive again.
Dear Spring,
For you and me, we shall never forsake for an endeavor.
