Courage (সাহস)

Waking up,
Folding the sheets and putting away pillows,
Breakfast sounds through the curtain
the relentless sounds of traffic having already begun its chorus through the windows;
Eating toast, mangoes, bananas, eggs, cold chai sitting cross-legged on the floor,
Murmuring pass the jam, pass the sugar.

Waving goodbye to everyone leaving earlier,
Saying good morning to Thomas,
The feeling of an empty apartment

And once 9:25 turned around
We would lock the door,
Walk down the stairs,
And feel
Anticipation
Fear
Excitement
Dread
Incredulity
Joy.

To walk out from the safety of our apartment
To the unknown, unfamiliar, unseen...
The chaotic, relentless, and beautiful.