THE
WHINER’S PLAINT
Going
by my passport
They
call me Indian abroad
But
in my own land
I
don’t know who I am.
In
South Africa I’m coloured
In
the U.S.A. I’m minus red
To
the English I am a wog
I
still don’t know who I am.
Beyond
the Vindhyas I’m a southie
Or
more often a Madrasi
In
Madras I am a Malayalee
Does
anyone know who I am?
To
the Muslims I am a Hindu
To
the Hindus I’m a Brahmin
Or
some other caste name
Do
tell me who I am.
If
I am to be known by language
Or
worse by religion and caste
Sometimes
even by my race
Who
can say who I am?
I
wish they’d call me Indian
And
be done with it,
Not
bother with anything else
So
that for good I know who I am.
V. S. Kumar
