My mother balks at West in East,
As if there is no East in West.
As if the arbitrary line
That separates the East from West
Is more unmoving than the land
And sea and those inhuman climes
That put some hundred years between
What people thought this side, that side.
As if unearthing ancient ties
Between the words that cast a light
On culture (that is, stuff of being)
Is just an academic trite.
Like, Wine and Venus – tempting twines
For men in need of tempered minds –
Arise from same Sanskritic root:
The “vêna” or “beloved”. Nice!
Or, Video and Idea –
Two words that make you say, “I see…”
Arise from Sanskrit vision word:
The “vidyā” that is “wisdom”. Gee!
And all she has to say to this?
“I see! They stole our words from us!”
Minakhi Misra 