Give back the forest, take this city away in return,
Take your iron, brick, timber and stone
O new civilization, O ruthless devourer,
Give back the hermit’s grove and its sacred cover,
Those untainted days, the bathing at dusk,
The grazing herds, the quiet Sama chant,
The fistful of wild rice, the bark cloth,
Immersing within the self, discussing day after day
The Great Truths. In your stone cage
I refuse to have your royal feast kept safe.
I want to break free and spread my wings,
I want my own strength back within me,
I want to tear the bonds apart to let
the heartbeat of the universe touch my soul.
Ehatasham Ul Hoque Eiten teaches English at Daffodil International University and writes on migration, identity, politics, literature, and education in South Asia.