borders

these borders

between us

separating

my/self and i

a/part there

and a part here

a diasporic individual, they say

no home, it means

or create one yourself

on the fringes

on the borders

between them

you are on that side of the border

you are me

i am on this side of the border

i am you

where is home

the language i know so well

urdu

or the one that i am a prisoner of

i can’t romanticize what can be

it is worse

worse than here

here is not there

there, – is not home

but if

if there was home

if here was never on the horizon

not even peeking between the curtains

not even a whisper

if here was there

if i was you

would have i accepted the roles

meant for me

would you have accepted me

as i am

as you are

when

and if

you were me

and i were

you