I come from a nation
In whose dirt my ancestors’
Ashes are blended
And the soil gave me life
Yet it’s the place where
Men are the first priority
Where I would’ve grown up
Learning to be the perfect wife
I come from a country
The birthplace of Jainism
The most peaceful of all religions
Just trying to live and let live
Yet it’s the place where
Miss America or I could never be Miss India
Even if we gave it
Everything we had to give
I come from a land
That has given me dance
Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Bhangra
I eat, sleep and breathe
Yet it’s the place where
Rape, corruption, and infanticide
Are just commonplace things
Things that make me seethe
I come from a state
Of a thousand tongues but
“Baapajo vaan”
Is what I’ll always speak
Yet it’s the place where
Pollution and poverty abound
A refusal to get married
Would cause my family to freak
I come from a fairyland
Inside is a whirlwind of colors
Putting on salwars, lenghas, and saris
Makes me feel like a Bollywood princess
Yet it’s the place where
Disease runs rampant
Sometimes I’m scared to go there
Fear of malarial infest
I come from a terrain
That gifted me with
The holy days of Paryushan
Festivities of Holi, Navratri, and Diwali
I come from India
It is my first home
Sure it has its many flaws
But I couldn’t be prouder to be a desi.
My motherland gave me
The textures of a Gujarati thaali
The tadka of Punjabi bhindi
The tenderness of Madrasi idli
I will never forget my roots
The teachings of my parents
But it’s the present that has
Molded me and my identity
I live in a nation
With the oldest living constitution
Spurned my interest in
Practicing the law
Yet it’s the place where
Intense stereotyping lingers
I tell people I’m Indian
But my last name isn’t Patel or Shah
I live in a country
Hoping hard work and honesty
Will lead me to the destination
My relatives envisioned for me
Yet it’s the place where
The foundation is religious freedom
But I must worship the elephant god
Due to my ethnicity
I live in a land
Of hip-hop, rap, and pop
Grew up watching
Toy Story and Finding Nemo
Yet it’s the place where
Obesity hits hard
But I’m reminded of perfection
Images of the beautiful size zero
I live in a society
Running on Dunkin’ with me
Hiking on rustic mountain trails
Exchanging desserts with the neighbors
Yet it’s the place where
I’m judged by my peers
If I don’t score an A
The prize for my mental labor
I live in a dreamland
Where Fridays are for pizza
Saturdays spent in shopping
Lazy Sundays watching football
Yet it’s the place where
Maybe I won’t ever belong
Store clerks sometimes ignore me
When I enter the mall
I live in the United States
Painted with blacks, whites, yellows, and browns
A scene that enforces the taught lesson
To love people of all kinds
I have a choice of
Swimming lessons or tabla
Eating roti or burritos
Going to temple to clear my mind
This house which my parents entered
Has now become my home
I know doors will always be open
From sea to shining sea
It’s the place where
I can say I’m Indian or American
But I’m Indian-American
And that’s what makes me, me.
