My mainland friends, this one is for you!

(This poem is in reaction to an article posted today on a less known media forum.http://www.newslaundry.com/2014/11/24/racism-and-the-city/ )


My blood is red,

My skin is brown,

In April, I celebrate spring

And in Monsoon rain, I dance and sing!



26th January, I too celebrate Republic Day,

On every 2nd October,

To Mahatma Gandhi, homage I pay!

I read narratives of History of the nation,

Of how Gandhi was thrown out of the train,
And how the nation rose against racial discrimination!
 


In Devyani Khobragade ‘s incident

The pinch every Indian felt, I witnessed

Intolerance against racial discrimination

The nation expressed.



 In that same nation,

My race, my identity, my birth place

I am asked to hide,

Petrified relatives back home, begged and cried!



I do not know if I can count on you,

Will bridges be built anew?

Every single day the bite is getting bigger to chew

I wish to hear, one or two

My mainland friends,

Yes, I wish to hear you.



A different land you may think, from where I flew

But,my blood is red,

My skin is brown,

In April, I celebrate spring ,

And in Monsoon rain, I dance and sing!