Who am I? A question that plagues me in many waking [and sleeping] momentsA question, I’m sure, is not unique to meYet it implores an answer, from me As I ponder on my answer, what comes up are a bevy of contradictionsSomewhere in-between, I am yet to find out – who I am Am I […]
Tag: People
On raised voices
Raised voices.I’m familiar with you.You show up every time a threat looms. Oh raised voices, I’m familiar with you. Masked by pangs of anger.Usually hiding, is a fear.Of rejection.Of hurt.Or the helplessness that ensues. Oh raised voices, I’m familiar with you. Scared of your identity.Or the threat to it, maybe.Are you so afraid of another […]
On representation
“As immigrants, we always feel an obligation to the opportunities we’re presented with, even if there are glaring red flags staring right at us. Be aware of this irrational gratitude.” – In saying this one thing Jinal Shah made me feel seen in a way I didn’t even know was invisible. This whole piece is […]
Fear of the known
Like most things nowadays, the thought for this post was prompted by a meme I came across the internet that read – I’ll never be able to lie to myself about all the shit I would do if I had time. Now let’s back up. When I was studying Shakespeare in school I had once […]
Do you have the Power?
Last year, when I visited my family home back in India, I was going through my (very large) stack of books and I came across a gift from my grandfather – Power, by Bertrand Russell. Growing up, I was always fascinated by the concept of Power. I was curious to learn how this 5-lettered word […]
It’s not enough
One of the many side effects of living away from “home”, of opening your world, or better yet your mind – it’s just not enough, nothing. Where do I belong? A question that haunts me in broad daylight, one I know is not unique to me, yet is my very own. You are not born […]
Locked In
adjective : Bound. Committed. Attached. Attachment, it’s a dangerous place to be in. Because isn’t it , by definition, an add on, extension, an extra part (not inherent?). And yet most of this is exactly where we all live – in attachment – of someone, something, some place. The moment you gain a sense of attachment, […]
No Foreign Objects
“Specialized in foreign & domestic” – this sign for Joe’s Auto Repair in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is what first sparked the idea for this blog post in my mind. “Am I foreign or domestic?”, I thought. What defines me to be foreign or domestic? Is it because I wasn’t born here the reason I’m foreign, or […]
Tradition
Passed down over generations Started by one It’s what has always been done // Don’t disobey elders, They know better, Why can’t a child know more? College is an institution that grooms your career Why can’t I, the world, explore? Marriage is a scared bond Between a man and a woman Why? Does love look […]
Masculinity
“You’re a man”, I thought, and then I let it go. “You’re so strong, so powerful”, I thought, and then I let it go. “You’re supposed to act with vigor and virility, you’re a man”, I thought, and then I let it go. “You’re supposed to lead, and I follow, you’re a man”, I thought, […]