Poem: Silk Route

Pragya Bajpai writes a poem for Outlook titled 'Silk Route'.

Updated on: 24 September 2023 10:28 am

Silk Route

This yellow tee I wore today,
has a bold Swiss logo printed on torso
still smells of mixed cloves and cilantro
that was once rolled together in my backpack
alongside parsley, celery, rosemary
I picked all of them for mom
with love from Europe
like a good daughter who loves everything
cooked by her mother

You had to travel all the way to trade spices
India isn't so poor, you get everything here
thanks to the silk route
My college friend teased me in History class
I never took his words to heart

Years have gone by
Today, I tell him over video calls
when he rushes to office and I hit the bed
India is not so poor, you get everything here
Even good jobs
You had to travel all the way to slog
Say my Hello! to your boss

We learnt History our way
I became a traveller
He became a trader
He stays in places
and places stay in me