I kept hearing people say
the same words over and over
wherever I went—
sometimes in greeting
or farewell,
sometimes in prayer—
the neighbor downstairs,
the electrician in the market,
the man who cleans
the toilet in the park.
The more it happened,
the more anxious I felt.
When I mentioned it to the chemist,
he lowered his voice and said,
Yes, it’s no longer just
a greeting or a prayer,
it’s become a celebration—
and a challenge.