(My relationship with my birth country)
Relationships can be complicated, I’m aware
The most complicated relationship I have, I must declare
Is with my birth country, my motherland
It has taken me a while to understand..
My love for India should unconditional be
At least that’s what I would like, but unfortunately
As an outsider, my perception has morphed, I would say
I can see things that I did not see yesterday
Then I realize I am judging through a foreign lens
I feel like a traitor, but in my defense
I can separate fact from misconception
Unlike a true foreigner’s perception
That could be biased, past the stereotypes I can see
And recognize the actual ills that plague my birth country
Let me say it hurts deeply to recognize
Anything that tarnishes the image of India in my eyes
I am tempted to “rectify” the issue immediately
To suit my westernized sensibility
Then I remind myself of all the complexities that make
India so unique, and lasting change does take
A change in the zeitgeist, when ideas and resources converge
In a land where the past, present and future seamlessly merge..
I feel a twinge of sadness for what as a flaw I perceive
But refrain from trying to voice what I believe
Going down my chain of thoughts, I am reminded once again
That what you love deeply causes you the most pain…
I remind myself that I love India not because
I am oblivious of its shortcomings, but in-spite of its flaws
Passion...unbridled 