The Architecture of US

Zoara Tashbhi Arifin

The Architecture of US

We built something fragile-

not from truth, 

but assumption.

Each brick placed carefully 

to avoid conflict,

to preserve illusion.

We painted over cracks

before they formed,

anticipating damage.

But foundation matter-

and ours were made 

of things unsaid.

The structure held-

briefly beautifully-

a masterpiece of denial.

Until one small truth

pressed too hard-

and everything remembered gravity. 

This is one of the 30 poems, 14 of those rendered into Bangla, composed by Zoara Tashbhi Arifin, a 10 grader of Macquerie Fields High School, Australia.

These form the anthology "Absence that Stayed" by the young poet in her second book published there.

In the 30 pieces of poetry Arifin captured moments of real-life experiences in lucid expressions. 

The Quiet Curriculum, Saltwater Promises, Unloved Loudly, Childhood Revised, The Shape of Betrayal, After the Storm are some of those.

The compositions are by and large good and reflect the promise Arifin has as a poet. She has dedicated the book to her mom who encourages her to write.

Zoara Tashbhi Arifin is a granddaughter of our Dhaka University 1969 batch mate Md Shabuddin. We wish her more success not only as a poet but also as a student to succeed in life.