My brain is full of passages that lead to obscure halls

And rubber bands, elastic, that bounce me off the walls

Loud music plays beside me and whispers behind doors

There’s earthquakes in the distance and trembling in the floors

I argue with the echoes, the hollow drumming beats

And step around on tiptoes on narrow winding streets

Thoughts waver on the cliff edge where voices spark and glow

I see them in the distance and hear them down below

Shouts echo everlasting in caverns vast and wide

I solemn climb the stairways and look for where they hide

On hot days I run panting from room to crowded room

and hear the birds are singing and hear the drums dark boom

I climb the stairs and cross the halls and hear alarms and barks and calls

In endless unmade urgent calls, delays and thought replays

And eyes and ears bring messages like children playing games

And nothing ever changes yet nothing is the same

But when I chose a corner and sweep the floor with grace

And calmly still the voices and drop out of the chase

Amongst the halls and steps and calls – I find a peaceful core

And when I breathe it deeply – it leads to so much more

Dhaka 2012