Submission Guidelines

The Bamboo Forest invites poetry in support of the health, safety and freedom of Zhu Yufu.

Send one or two poems in the body of an email to: editor.camelsaloon@gmail.com

Place Free Zhu Yufu in the subject line of the email.

Acceptance grants The Bamboo Forest one time electronic publishing rights. Upon publication, all rights revert immediately to the author. Publication is on a rolling basis. The Bamboo Forest is a nonpaying publication.

The editor invites all visitors to sign the petition in support of Zhu Yufu:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/free-zhu-yufu/


His Excellency Ambassador Zhang Yesui
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States
3505 International Place, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20008

His Excellency Mr Liu Xiaoming
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
49-51 Portland Place,
London
W1B 1JL

Dear Ambassador:

We, the undersigned, request the immediate and unconditional release of the poet Zhu Yufu, imprisoned by the People’s Republic of China in January 2012 for the peaceful exercise of his right to self-expression and free speech.

We are appalled if no longer surprised that a nation with such a deep and abiding connection to its poetry would consider the composition and distribution of It's Time to constitute a crime against the state:

是时候了，中国人！是时候了
广场是大家的
脚是自己的
是时候用脚去广场作出选择

是时候了，中国人！是时候了
歌曲是大家的
喉是自己的
是时候用喉唱出心底的歌曲

是时候了，中国人！是时候了
中国是大家的
选择是自己的
是时候用自己选择未来的中国


It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
The Square belongs to everyone.
With your own two feet
It’s time to head to the Square and make your choice.

It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
A song belongs to everyone.
From your own throat
It’s time to voice the song in your heart.

It’s time, people of China! It’s time.
China belongs to everyone.
Of your own will
It’s time to choose what China shall be

The People’s Republic should know by now that the censored word speaks loudest. Please remind your Government that each act of repression against the writers, journalists and human rights defenders targeted for detention, abuse and silencing violates Article 35 of the Chinese constitution, which states that

Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration;

and of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Again, we request the immediate and unconditional release of the poet Zhu Yufu, imprisoned by the People’s Republic of China in January 2012 for the peaceful exercise of his right to self- expression and free speech.

Sincerely,

The Signers