Home

By Tanvi Malik

Grew up in home ancestral

My childhood was dreamy and beautiful

My grandparents, my parents, my sister and brother

Seven of us, a home where we were there for each other

As a tiny toddler, for my sister's return from Kindergarten I used to wait

Time flew and I lived in this home till twenty-eight.

As wedding bells rang, I would soon go to my 'home' now, I was told

What was this then? My eyes watered, my throat choked.

Repetitive reminders of my home-to-be

The emotional attachment to two homes confused me

My new roof was home for my husband, his father and me

Nurturing every corner, got me busy

Three meals a day, two tea times

Walked around the home in my anklet chimes

Soon heard the news that my in-laws were on a lookout for a new abode

A rented house is not a home, is what I was told

My jaw dropped on the ground, I choked again

I looked around seeing all my efforts going in vain

Started packing again, this time not just my belongings, but an entire household

With each carton, kept wondering, when did I grow this old

With what was supposed to be my 'home', we parted ways

Three of us moved to a new place

Not a rental, bought with earned money

I was told, is what a real home honey

Began setting up the new house our home

Sprinkling love and care for what was our 'own'

Destiny took a deep plunge and circumstances got unfortunate

My husband and I left our home, wondering about our fate

With nowhere to go and no place to call a home

Lived in a hotel, streets we began to roam

Weeks later, found a place, a roof underneath we had to heal

Just the two of us in our little home, I prepped each meal

Made a life of our own, with each other's support

This was finally our house, our love fort

A rental as it was, quest for 'our' home began

Are we moving again, I thought, oh man!

We spent months, looking for a place that felt right

Began shopping and designing our dream home, with all our might

The home was not ready yet, finishing touches remain

The landlord asked for the keys of the rental, I left the house in pain

In the filler period of one week, that is as I type

At my ancestral home we came, tears I wipe

Looking at my grandparents' pictures I wonder

Of all the homes I have lived in since I left from here

A rental, a bought, an apartment, a colony, a big, a small

What really does matter and what does not?

A fresh chapter waits, nonethless

We will soon move, amidst the mess

Looking around I wonder, where do I belong

Which home do I call a home, why is it taking so long....

By Tanvi Malik