Nostalgia of an immigrant

I left the venerable shores

Of a land that was my own

I closed behind me the doors

Leading to places where I had grown

Driven by a sense of adventure

The excitement of exploration

The promise of a greener pasture

Or all of above, in combination

The years went by trying to settle

I was lost in acclimatization

Trying to prove my mettle

Undergoing cultural desensitization

As time passed by  I realized

How touch with my roots I was losing

The cultural heritage I had prized

Was out of my conscience oozing…

In panic, I tried to grab, to hold on

To the threads that were my connection

To the hallowed land where I was born

To the country that gave me direction

Memories embedded I brought to the surface

The smell of the soil was etched in my brain

Songs I grew up with, the colorful verses

Sights of my country I dreamt of again

***

So this is how through life I  float

With one foot in each country’s boat

Mixing language, culture and tradition

I live my life in a rich amalgamation.