Story of a Cloudy Thursday

Among the team at DRS we have many talented people: musicians, athletes, educators, artists.....

We are now delighted to welcome our first published poet and journalist, Kafi, who joined us just before Christmas! Kafi was inspired to write the following beautiful piece after meeting the team....

Story of a Cloudy Thursday.

It's a cloudy morning. So the intensity of winter is low. My Kurdish friend Amit is waiting in front of the Hope Centre at Derby. It's walking distance from my temporary address. I got out of the cottage and walking fast. From there, I went with Amit to the DRS Centre at St Anne’s Church Hall. This was the first time I went to the DRS (Derbyshire refugee solidarity) Centre event. DRS members welcomed us. I saw there was a gathering of people from different countries. I got to know people gathering in DRS routine events every week, who live in Derby permanently or temporarily. Tea, coffee, cake, biscuits, fruits, and vegetables are arranged throughout time.

Steve Cooke and Julie James, noble people from the city of Derby, help to run DRS. They are currently serving as Chair and secretary. Many of the respected British citizens who live in the city of Derby and surrounding townships are associated with the organization. DRS helps refugees and asylum seekers with English language education as well as food and clothing.

An English gentleman, Adrian, brings a musical instrument he has invented. Made with an abandoned steel pipe. One of the trustees, Bob Davies, introduced us to him. After a while, we sang a song in favour of peace. The introduction of the song was sung in different languages. The beginning was Swahili. I translated the beginning part of the song into Bengali and added it to the manuscript in the English alphabet. Everyone also sang the Bengali part. Carol Fieldhouse was the composer and Main Vocal in the choir. She is an English singer and songwriter. I tried to play musical instruments with fun. I also sang a few lines of Chattagrami and Hindi Sufi songs in an incongruous voice. But they all encouraged. I understand this is an expression of civilization in social life.

After the song, we participated in a variety of games. It was the first time I played darts and became the first. Bob Smith set a white ribbon straight on the floor of the room. We were given binoculars in our hands. You have to walk from one end to the other with the eye on binocular. While walking with binoculars, I felt like walking on a rope. Everyone was shaking while walking. So many could not cross. I had crossed and won a lollipop. There I find and talked to an Indian volunteer named Kris. His parents came from a south Indian famous city Hyderabad.

I have noticed a common theme in the community-based organisations in Derby. At the event, the organisers make opportunities to speak to refugees and asylum seekers with local peoples from different professions. This created an opportunity to build a kind of bridge between the refugees and asylum seekers with the locals. Three women from the University of Derby participated in today’s event. They left a little earlier. Probably they were university officials.

Singer & songwriter Carol Fieldhouse came to this event. She said, already had seventy-five songs recorded. She said he already had seventy-five songs recorded. Carol said music is the source of inspiration in her busy life. Carol said that she has some studio space in the city where she lives. She lets vocalists and songwriters use it. Her husband is an architect. I said, I write poems and some of my books have been published. She was curious about me.

At the end of the event, I got introduced to a lady whose name is Moyra Jean. She is of Scottish origin. Moyra expressed her interest in my writing. She gave me some blogs and page address where I can write. Her sincerity fascinated me. Actually, when I was talking to Moyra, I also remembering my mum.

After a long time, I talk to a poet and a lover of literature. So, my literary entity's life returned. The leaves of the tree fall in the winter, and trees look lifeless. But when the spring comes with in favourable breeze, the trees wake up. There are similarities in nature in human life