New Wine in an Old Bottle

In New Wine in an Old Bottle, Hossain Belal paints a stark yet familiar picture of post-disaster promises and political theatre. Against the backdrop of a violent storm that brings down ancient trees

Friend, look over there,
how the old trees have shattered
under the storm’s fury,
branches and limbs scattered,
yet, some people
push all the chaos aside
and walk on the road.

At this moment, a drunkard
stumbles, weaving his way home,
his hand gripping a bottle of wine,
drinking it and muttering nonsense.

“The storm has not harmed you,
I’ll give you a house,
I’ll give you a home, money too�"
and what more?”