by Asma Khanam
The tank has been broken and the rooftop is flooded
there are cracks in the ceiling
dirty water rains as I sleep in my bed
my body lays dead
and my soul stinks of grief and regret
I was born in a burning home
I try to build a new home
I try to walk into the new year
but the past holds me back by my hair and pulls me down
puts a knife to my neck
reminds me of all the love lost and the lost wars
keeps me hostile with the promises I made when I was fifteen, sixteen and
seventeen
the past takes a new form every time it comes back
some call it karma
I try to flee, I try to forgive myself
and the deeper I went, the better I got
And the more people I cut out, the quieter my life got
I put all the pieces together; bricks, cement and paint
but there’s something missing
an essential element I haven’t had the chance to get my hands on
people say it’s hard to find, hard to build
but I want to know
but I want to know how I can find a home
I wanna know how I can build a home
I wanna know how I can protect my home
Asma Khanam is an extraordinary individual who embodies a rare fusion of creativity and technical aptitude. With an insatiable love for both writing and engineering, she navigates the realms of words and technology with equal passion. As a devoted writer, Asma's journey began four years ago when she discovered her profound connection to poetry. Her debut book, "Scented Papers," stands as a testament to her love for writing, as she masterfully weaves emotions and imagery into captivating verses. Alongside her literary pursuits, Asma's fascination with engineering, particularly in the fields of data science, chips, and robotics, has fueled her academic journey. As an engineering student, she immerses herself in the intricacies of these disciplines, constantly expanding her knowledge and honing her technical skills. With a rare blend of artistic expression and analytical thinking, Asma Khanam represents the embodiment of a true renaissance individual, poised to make a lasting impact in both the worlds of literature and engineering.