A 17-year-old published writer from Cambridge is getting ready to launch his latest book which will include a special poem about his Asian background.
Aukash Zahid has been writing poetry professionally for more than a year now and has already been published in 15 books, available in reputable outlets such as Waterstones and WHSmith.
His poetry is specifically targeted at bringing communities together and he often reflects on his own personal experiences for inspiration for his writing.
At such a young age, Aukash has built up a credible portfolio with his latest book, ‘Through the eyes of a poet’, set to be published in the near future.
Speaking about his interest in writing he acknowledged a somewhat unusual idol and explained what he hoped to achieve through poetry.
“Being an Asian Muslim inspires a lot of my poetry,” he said. “I admire Muhammad Ali’s poetry a lot, and a few of my poems are very similar to his.
“With the influence of Muhammad Ali I’ve always wanted to do something to help the less fortunate, and to use my poetic talent to help those who need it.
“The main aim of my poetry is to bring communities together, and to teach everyone that we are all free, that we are all equal, and that we all deserve a fair chance to succeed in life.”
Through his expanding reputation as a poet, Aukash has become a regular on radio and television throughout the past 18 months and he says his ultimate dream is to appear on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, after seeing his boxing idol on the show previously.
To the right is just one example of his growing portfolio of published work.
You Said He Was A Nobody
You said he was weak,
But yet he had a heart of steel,
You said he was dumb,
Is it because you didn’t know the pain that he would feel.You bullied him always,
And gave him less respect than a dead dog,
You were the cause of his suicide,
As all his memories were just depressed clouds of thick fog.You made him lose all his confidence,
And called him an attention seeker when he searched for cure,
He drowned in his tears,
As he was left all alone and insecure.His family mocked him because he was very shy,
Little did they know about the pain he felt inside,
He tried to tell his school,
But all his wounds were just brushed aside.Then the day eventually came,
When your harsh words became too much for him to take,
He overdosed on some pills,
Knowing that he would never awake!
By Aukash Zahid
