At the Zoo in Kathmandu

Foreigners have to pay more 
At the thick metal door.

Inside we see a hippo

We chuckle and point. 
Taking pictures. 

We say. 
“My, look at how large it is! Look how it walks! Ha!” 
We stare for some time. 

Then we hear someone whisper. 
We turn. 
And see people stare. 
At our light skin. 
And shiny hair. 

Poor hippo sits neglected. 

It seems we are a part of the zoo now too!

Eyes wide as Mr. Hippo's mouth. 
They stare at the new 
Creature in the zoo. 

Their cage of assumptions is too small for us. 

They don’t know that we understand what they say. 
They don’t know my mother grew up here. 
And in her heart she is home. 

Although, 

we all tend to live in the zoo sometimes too.