For the first time in 23 years, I’m away from home on Diwali Thousands of miles away From the lights that adorn my home The marigold flowers that are suddenly more valuable than ever So far away from the hustle-bustle in markets Away from that mild chill in the air that signals approaching winter Away from the constant chatter of nosy relatives From the madness in the streets So far away from the cheer of this season’s parties From the warmth of hugs and laughter Thousands of miles away from the thousands of calories I’d be happily taking in This Diwali, I’m so far away from my family From my home So far away that, The only lights I have are the ones on my study table The only hustle I know of is me carrying the weight of my groceries So far away that, The chilly winds here make Delhi weather seem like summer The only chatter I’m going to hear is the one in my dorm hallways The only form of madness I see is in the race for a job So far awa