Naveed Akram (15 December 1973 / London, England)

I was then in a course of time that ran afloat,
The coronation of the emperor was upon my own thoughts;
Seldom do wishes of difficulty concern duty
And the virtues of a corrupt people.
The indiscriminate private buildings contributed
To the general style of a corner of a little town.
I was saving my strokes, basing my burden
On the wayfarers of this world who connected with
The emperor in his gown at night and day.
Less perfect institutions had regularity,
The empire was afoot, the empire regained health.