A Reader’s Life

Long before I had experienced firsthand what nostalgia felt like, I had felt it vicariously

Through stories of displacement, immigration, moving away from one’s parent country

Before I knew what loss and grief felt like, those emotions I had imbibed

In reading world literature, I had internalized the words that described

The unsettling sense of loss, the pervasiveness of grief

Before I had solidified my belief systems, I had incorporated the beliefs

Of writers from all over the world whose works I admired

Before I had experienced love and longing, I had learnt the language of desire

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The world came closer to my doorstep with each book I read

Before experiences shaped me, I was moulded by the words in my head

In the pages of books, for my feelings validation I have found

At every stage of life, I have had a pivotal book around

With books my life is inextricably intertwined

Throughout my life books have framed my mind