Selected Poems

Hello, Goodbye

Not a sound was heard, not a breath was taken

Except a new life on a cold January morning

Shrouded in white, she lay still in a box

Ready to be buried in earth, rubble and rocks

Her little round face, tinged blue

Her large shut eyes, a purple hue

We tread damp earth, arms across our chests

Quietly gather around her final resting place

Prayers were said, words were spoken

Her father's dry rasps, the wind had stolen

And I wonder what will become of her

After she crumbles into the soil

Beneath the dandelions and ferns

The Weight You Carry

Now I understand

That although you had millions

You carried a crushing boulder

Between the blades of your shoulders

And there was no space for me

Or anyone else

Where do we belong?

Where do we belong?

The generation that left

Three decades ago

Our culture held fast in our fists

Refusing to release

Or fully integrate

For fear of betrayal

Only to return and find

Bangladesh has moved on

Without us

This Isn’t Enough

Like a child late for school

Little feet pattering as fast as possible

And hands holding on to dad's fingertips

Just

This isn't enough

Stay With Me

The difference between

Emotional intelligence

And emotional availability:

The former is knowledge

If you're a smart guy

And performance

If you're a good guy

And the latter is

To stay with me in my period of discomfort

So I do not feel alone