Nostalgia-Song of the Expatriate

(I'm 
an 
Indian 
lassie, 
was 
born 
in 
West 
Africa, 
(Nigeria), 
Grew 
up 
in 
South 
Africa 
(Swaziland) 
and 
currently 
live 
in 
East 
Africa. 
(Tanzania). 
So 
I 
live 
in 
Daresalam, 
near 
the 
Indian 
Ocean.)


I 
might 
be 
like 
any 
other 
expatriate, 
desirous 
of 
their 
homeland
Upon 
my 
country's 
soil 
fervently 
wishing 
to 
stand.
I 
can't 
help 
feeling 
profusely 
foreigner
in 
this 
highly 
foreign 
land
I'd 
give 
anything 
to 
go 
back, 
say 
even 
be 
a 
mariner
for 
there's 
an 
ocean 
to 
cross 
before 
familiar 
sand.

An 
ocean 
with 
dear 
motherland's 
name
greets 
me 
all 
the 
way 
here 
with 
tantalizing 
lure
Tiring 
me 
of 
nostalgia's 
seemingly 
endless 
game,
reminding 
the 
distance 
between 
the 
shores 
is 
galore!

Everything 
here 
seems 
just 
too 
alien 
and 
foreign
The 
air 
seems 
foreign 
punctuated 
by 
exotic 
birds
In 
this 
land 
I 
still 
feel 
as 
if 
lost 
in 
some 
warren
and 
the 
foreign 
language 
- 
I'm 
at 
a 
loss 
for 
words!

I 
feel 
estranged 
and 
disoriented, 
struck 
with 
nostalgia
though 
I 
might 
not 
be 
such 
a 
patriot 
any 
more
The 
awaited 
journey 
to 
India 
from 
Tanzania
to 
reach 
familiar 
ground 
of 
lakhs 
and 
crore.

Ah, 
the 
welcoming 
scenes 
of 
my 
homeland
always 
so 
enticing 
and 
inviting
It 
might 
seem 
surprising 
that 
for 
me 
she's 
a 
dreamland
but 
a 
desire 
to 
go 
back, 
since 
ages 
I've 
been 
fighting.

I'm 
home-
sick, 
waiting 
so 
long 
to 
be 
back 
home
There's 
no 
place 
like 
home-
sweet-
home
Here 
I 
feel 
I've 
lost 
my 
tracks
Like 
a 
homeless 
wanderer 
do 
I 
roam.

As 
here 
I 
feel 
no 
less 
like 
a 
Gulliver 
on 
his 
travels
yet 
to 
rehabilitate 
from 
homesickness 
might 
take 
a 
lifetime
For now, I can merely 
sing of motherland's 
marvels
and wait soberly for fate 
and destiny's chime.

But an underlying truth 
here: I feel alienated 
everywhere
as if I hailed from No-
man's-land
They think I neither 
blend with the Indian 
nor 
the african
but hope they respect 
my very individual brand.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

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Berdoo Avatar
March 27, 2014 at 4:35 PM
They respect you the man. In the end thats who you really are! Nice write, s. zaynub ~~WRITE ON!~~
Poet Avatar
March 25, 2014 at 9:54 AM
WELL WRITTEN LIKED THIS PIECE OF YOURS.....................N THNX FOR COMMENTING ON MY POEM .LUV CRYSTAL
Jolo Avatar
March 3, 2014 at 9:09 PM
nice write.
Garg Avatar
March 2, 2014 at 3:29 AM
really a good one..
Kapoor Avatar
March 1, 2014 at 10:51 PM
–‘Aye Mere Pyare Watan Aye Mere Bichude Chaman Tujh Pe Dil Kurban – Tere Daaman Se Jo Aayen Un Havaaon Ko Salaam ….’ Then I listen to that Song on You Tube and both your Poem and the Song has left me with a sweet cry and longing for my country. Thank you for this wonderful gift Zaynab and thank you for your precious sweet comments on my Mulberry Poem. Love and best wishes always..Ravindra K Kapoor
Kapoor Avatar
March 1, 2014 at 10:49 PM
What a beautiful Poem my dear friend and fellow countryman Zaynab. Your Poem is blended with all the feelings & a cry for your great love for your mother land. You have really touched the hearts in your wonderful Poem. Missing your people & your homeland are such powerful feelings that it really creates its great impact, when you are away from people and motherland. While reading your Poem the immortal Song of Hindi Film Kabuliwala 1961 started flashing in my mind.. to conti..Ravindra K Kapoor
Kamoonpuri Avatar
March 2, 2014 at 12:58 AM
Thanx a lot ravindra for yor lovely patriotic coment n song. Im a lady not a man though.
Frankel Avatar
March 1, 2014 at 6:17 PM
This is great! Love the shape and the word choices. Definitely very individual! Best wishes, Alex
Joyce Avatar
March 1, 2014 at 2:38 PM
hey hey ..this is really good ..interesting and a different style all your own ..i truly enjoyed reading this ..love your talent :))
Smith Avatar
March 1, 2014 at 1:49 PM
I can feel you pain coming out of your words..I truly hope for the best...Tim
Kayode Avatar
March 1, 2014 at 3:27 AM
I feel you, I really feel you. Like you, I'm a Nigerian living in Germany; as such, I can see all your plights.But bet me,you will soon breathe the fresh air of India,the will of man is always beyond surrender.A great work is this,though touching,I really enjoyed it. For now be good to your host country and hope for the better.God bless Africa,India and reward Germany.
Gasun Avatar
March 1, 2014 at 1:59 AM
This is absolutely a great write my dear friend. I like it so much & also the form and I can relate in some ways here. Thank you so much for sharing and your wonderful comment on my poem. More blessings! love and hugs, Leonora
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