Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Contest

I am a Chai Tea Latte
by Varsha S.

THirty-SECOND Contest
Honorable Mention

“A grande chai tea latte with two extra pumps, please!” 
My favorite Starbucks order 
An Indian-flavored drink in American packaging. 

My cultural heritage has 
A distinct South Indian flavor. 
Weaved into my childhood — 
Tamil films and Bollywood dance sequences 
Aromatic spices in daily curries 
Weekly religious singing 
Rich spiritual traditions. 
Born and raised here in California 
In a country where 
Brown is not the norm. 

In a country where 
At 7 years old, I cry myself to sleep 
The day my classmate asks me 
Why am I so hairy? 
Why is my skin so dark? 
Why do I always wear my hair in two long braids? 

In a country where 
At 9 years old, I tell my mom 
I want to take a PB&J sandwich 
Not a paratha or rice and curry 
To school for lunch 
Because the latter makes me a “fob.” 

In a country where 
At 12 years old, I refuse an invite 
To a pool party 
Because my legs and arms are 
Covered in ugly dark black hairs 
And my parents won’t let me shave. 

In a country where 
At 13 years old, I grab a pair of scissors 
And try to individually snip off 
Every hair on my skin 
Until I nick my skin enough times 
To let myself give up. 

In a country where 
At 16 years old, a guy from my community college 
That I barely know 
Texts me at 2:00 a.m. 
Says I should meet up with him because 
He has always wanted a “beautiful exotic girl.” 

In a country where 
At 17 years old, I take a bus home from work 
A drunk man stumbles on and looks around 
Walks to where I’m sitting with a friend 
Tells me to get out of there and go back to 
“The dirty temple you came from.” 

But I came from here. 
I was born and raised here in California 
In a country where 
Brown is not the norm 
In a country where 
Brown makes me special. 

In a country where 
At 8 years old, my friend from four-square games 
Asks me to trade some of my food for his sandwich 
My parathas and my rice and curry. 
He takes a bite and hums in delight 
At the explosion of flavor that he loves. 

In a country where 
At 10 years old, my friend from class 
Asks me to teach her 
How to say the numbers in my language. 
Says she wishes she could speak Tamil 
Because it sounds so cool. 

In a country where 
At 14 years old, the adults at my temple 
Tell me how glad they are 
That I haven’t forgotten my religion and culture 
That I lead bhajans and pray every day 
Because those traditions help make me who I am. 

In a country where 
At 17 years old, I go to a Dandiya festival 
My friends and I dress up in our chaniya cholis and jewelry 
Braid our hair and press a bindi on our foreheads 
Eat samosas, grab two decorated Dandiya sticks each 
And dance the night away with new friends to celebrate our culture. 

In a country where 
At 18 years old, I move to Los Angeles for college 
I blast a Spotify playlist with my favorite Indian movie songs 
I unapologetically own my brown skin and arm hair 
I pray daily to the picture of Hindu Gods that I hang at my desk 
I have never been prouder to be Indian. 

In a country where 
At 18 years old, I can be as American as I am Indian 
Listening to Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars every day 
Wearing T-shirts and shorts and letting my hair down 
Going to the beach with friends that have 
White skin, black skin, and everything in between. 

“A grande chai tea latte with two extra pumps, please!” 
My favorite Starbucks order 
An Indian-flavored drink in American packaging. 
Not afraid to be either 
Quite the opposite, in fact, 
Unbelievably proud of both labels. 
I am a chai tea latte. 


About the Author
Hi all! My name is Varsha, and I study Neuroscience at UCLA. I love both of my cultures—Indian and American—and I consider myself incredibly lucky to have the best of both worlds. Thanks in advance for giving my poem a read, and feel free to message me on Facebook! I'm always looking to make new friends. [www.facebook.com/varsha.swamy3]