Not My Nervous System

By Ramsha Naushad

They sell me hurry, they sell me fear

They sell me numbers that whisper in my ear

But my breath is ancient, my pulse is free

I won’t let the system get the best of me

Not my nervous system, not my peace of mind

Not my quiet morning, not this heart of mine

You can keep your chaos, your gold and your greed

But you won’t wire your fear into me

They measure worth in paper and screens

But I count stars and I dream clean dreams

While their markets rise, and their markets fall

I stay steady, untouched by it all

Not my nervous system, not my gentle spine

Not my sacred breathing, not this soul of mine

You can keep your tension, your hunger, your schemes

But you won’t thread your noise into me

I’ve got rivers flowing in my veins

Not dollar signs or profit chains

I’ve got soil, I’ve got sky

I’ve got the moon keeping time

Not my nervous system, not my holy ground

Not my living spirit, not this quiet sound

Let the towers tremble, let the markets spin

I am sovereign, I breathe from within

Not my nervous system...

Not my nervous system...

I am free.

By Ramsha Naushad