Reading Celan at the Liberation War Museum

—Independence Day Celebration 2011, Dhaka i. In a courtyard, in these stacks of chairs before the empty stage—near are we Lord, near and graspable. Lord, accept these humble offerings: stacks of biscuits wrapped in cellophane, stacks of bone in glass: thighbone, spine. Stacks of white saucers, porcelain circles into which stacks of lip-worn cups slide neat. Jawbone, Lord. Galleries of laminated clippings declaring war. Hands unstack chairs into rows.The dead: they still go begging.