Made of Iron
I am from curiosity, letting go of hands
Tumbling down stairs
No one around me, to say “Hey watch out”
A lone giggle
I am from quite lonely days
Pondering over a house of ants
Even the smallest parts of life
I look at with a magnifying glass
In detail, everything noticed, everything perfect
I am from a heart of wet cement
Many appear but soon seem to disappear
Each leaving a purposeful mark
Some can be forgotten
Some can be forgiven
Some will always remain
I am from illusions
The things that seem to happen but never do
And things that happen that we never see
Blind from reality, trying to look through a foggy window
Each water droplet, resembling unanswered questions
I am from guidance, from the few that truly inspire
A reassurance that I am not alone
Those who shined a flashlight in a dark alley
Those who gave a hand in moments of doubt
I am from parents that are like cats and dogs
Both have a different way of living
Neither of them understand each other
Unfriendly wake up calls of roaring disagreements
A love that is contradicting
I am from, “ It’s right there in you”
Input from an eloquent, nurturing women whose words are effortless
I am from Ironman, a name that is more than a job description
The definition of my father, Lokhandwala*
I am from a factory of iron
I am from the discovery of Vasco de Gama
A subcontinent full of hidden treasures
Where there is a trail mix of religion
Colorful silk and rich gold jewelry that decks a girl
From her head to her toe
Where the devastation of poverty and struggle exists
Where one of the seven wonders of the world stands
I am from this distinct smell of fresh figs
I am from the sight of a last breathe
The pleasure that life gives me of having enough
Wanting nothing more from life
But, the true reason why I am here
This is where I am from
*(Lokhandwala literally meaning Iron Man in Hindi)