Do I sit, do I stand?
Say “Namaste” or extend my hand?
Do I say “Mrs.” or “Aunty”
To the older woman in my sight?
Come to think of it,
“Johnson aunty” doesn’t sound quite right.
“Mom, should I wear this crop top or does it show too much?”
She says “beta, why even wear a crop – wear just your bra and go for lunch!”
I say, “Mom the rips in my jeans are too small!” and I frown
She says, “if you really want to look homeless, here are some scissors. Go to town.”
When my non-Indian friends are served roti for the first time,
They look at it as if they’ve never seen anything so fine.
They ask, “Wow! What is this thing so thin and so round?”
I say, “It’s just bread, can you calm down?”
Going to my friend’s house is always enjoyable,
But at 6 pm, I see her mom, Mrs. Johnson, setting the table.
“We’re eating dinner so early??” I think to myself.
I’m definitely going to need a snack later from that top shelf.
The thing is, I’m not used to eating dinner until 8,
But here in the States, that’s waayyy too late.
Being Indian and American is such a ride
Being only one or the other is impossible,
Believe me, I’ve tried.
I cannot separate what is entwined in me without losing myself.
I am a proud Indian American with culture as wealth.
So, there is no point in trying to separate the two
And honestly, I have no desire to.