Hands in Friendship Held
This land, in spite of language
Long ago imposed, and now entirely yours
Gone native, is like the past
Another place where difference is the rule
Exotic foreign otherwise
And so for us who visit
Adjusting can be hard
The many daily culture shocks
A puzzle, bringing stress
But also sudden, bolt from blue
A rush of sheer delight
As gorgeous perfumed jasmine flowers
Are pinned, with love, to deck our hair
Or taste of local cooking
Taught by mother carefully to daughter
Our tradition you say proudly
Like your culture ancient with deep roots
But most of all the gift you give
Of friendship from the heart
Untainted still and pure
Sophistication not yet come
To village Indian life
So love declared with smiles
And hugs, and hands in friendship held
All ages mixed no shame
No need for ‘cool’
We take a trip to earlier times
A voyage to the past
Before modernity was born
An age of innocence
And blessed we are time-traveling thus
A world away, enchanted in this land
This land, in spite of language
Long ago imposed, and now entirely yours
Gone native, is like the past
Another place where difference is the rule
Exotic foreign otherwise
And so for us who visit
Adjusting can be hard
The many daily culture shocks
A puzzle, bringing stress
But also sudden, bolt from blue
A rush of sheer delight
As gorgeous perfumed jasmine flowers
Are pinned, with love, to deck our hair
Or taste of local cooking
Taught by mother carefully to daughter
Our tradition you say proudly
Like your culture ancient with deep roots
But most of all the gift you give
Of friendship from the heart
Untainted still and pure
Sophistication not yet come
To village Indian life
So love declared with smiles
And hugs, and hands in friendship held
All ages mixed no shame
No need for ‘cool’
We take a trip to earlier times
A voyage to the past
Before modernity was born
An age of innocence
And blessed we are time-traveling thus
A world away, enchanted in this land
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