inbetween

by Ritika

i am

cupboards of spices

mustard seeds crackle and spit and attack

i am

mountains

that winter turns

stunning white

i suppose

i am

rather lucky

it’s only the little things that

make me remember

i am neither

foreign nor native

i am neither

i am neither

and yet

i am both

in new zealand

i see

so many

shades of white -

hear

a language of

water and air

other colours

other sounds

interwoven through

the paler strands

returning to india

i remembered

how many shades

of brown there are too

surrounded

by a language

of rhythm and earth

other colours

other sounds

faded

to ghosts

(but i want

a world

of infinite colours,

infinite rhythms

and shades)

first languages

are curious things

Ritika has been a Write On Saturday mornings student for 4 years. She is published in the Write On magazine and was successfully placed in the Seaweek poetry competition and the Speaking 4 the Planet competition. Alongside writing and reading they enjoy plotting evil schemes with their equally chaotic classmates.