I wrote this poem to give expression to my sense of being caught between two worlds - the U.S. and Bangladesh. What I feel is a sense of perpetual movement, as though, having left home (11 years ago) I have become a perpetual wanderer coming in touch with, but never quite absorbed into, or finding a destination in the cultural and social atmospheres of two different worlds.
Yesterday I left home
miles and miles away,
now I'm forever moving,
becoming agitated fingers
plunging in and out of drawers,
forever snapping suitcases
and taping or tearing boxes;
moving along like a coffee-stained
road map, tearing at the folds
and dividing the lines of division;
moving in an awkward daze,
straitjacketed in blue jeans
and bandaged in silk saris;
moving between two worlds
rushing by in photographs and souvenirs;
moving between bleary images
fading like the shadow
of a dancer's frock
vanishing behind the curtain;
now I'm forever moving,
like a manuscript in transit
shuttling between publisher and author.
If you especially appreciated this author, we'll be happy to show you where you can find more of their poems
(c) 1999 S. Selina Jamil Please respect the rights of the author and Passions in Poetry. If you would like to use this poem on your own web page, please contact the Author. Thank you.
All Visitor Comments on this poem have been posted by people who wanted to let the author know the poem touched their hearts. If you would like to leave a comment of your own, please click the Vote button in the Response Panel above.
