I was born elsewhere, not anywhere near
where different people do things differently than people here
as I was not born anywhere nearby
sometimes I get stares, people need to clear
burning forests from their eyes, paradise with no way out
otherwise known as a foreigner, were
reason to account and I from Mumbai
no one would ever question, their minds always full of doubt
even the mirror makes them lose their clout
left alone, I feel safest, far from eyes
subjected to false judgments, ideas based on their own lies
even if language informs their goodbyes
wonders never cease to inform their spies
how to describe other's race in terms believed most devout
enter the new world past the ocean blue
reincarnate flesh, from Renaissance births
exit the depths with Dante but not with his guide, Virgil
now, I am aware how racism flew
over a child's head, easy to abuse
treat the Other as other, his weight in salt lacks worth, worse
anyone who prays, who dares keep vigil
not with the angels, nor with demons, sends
yet, a different message when ancestors, easy to lose
waiting for a child to witness the dead
how once forgotten, they become harpies
ever imaginary, raptors snatch and seize the dread
remember we came from elsewhere to seize
each day a wayward child must make new friends
nameless nobody, they chose to test, fourteen ninety-two
every answer wrong for I did not know
a boy from Bombay should know how to grow
remember, I never heard songs about the ocean blue
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