Too young to Die

The tall fortresses, the clear blue waters, the majestic animals, the huge mountains, the sweet smell of rain and the big wide sky,
They all called out to me as I put on my hat and decided to travel the world - I was too young to die.

I saw the beautiful Himalayas where the sages spent lives in prayer, I saw the snow-capped hills and the deer, I saw the wondrous Ganga river - the river of life,
I met the great king of my country Bharat, I roamed in his Royal Gardens and heard his jester's jokes, I had the pleasure of talking to his wife.

I travelled with the Great Chinese Monks as they told me all about peace and the outer world, I fought with them as they taught me Kung Fu - a form of fighting and a wonderful art,
I survived the dragons I had heard so much about, I jumped the walls along with the other kids of Mongolia, I ran into a stranger who offered me a sweet tart.

I walked through the cold lonely roads of Russia and escaped the Russian Mafia, I felt the furry clothes they claimed to have discovered and sat with the rebels, chatting in the shade,
I swam through the icy rivers to see Russian markets in sale, I sneaked in to houses and learnt how Vodka was made.

I sat and prayed in the cathedrals of Vatican City, I met the beautiful women of Italy and learned their language, I feasted on the lovely Italian food,
I learnt how to row a boat and how to paint, I couldn't believe how they built lovely chairs out of simple wood.

I drank and rejoiced with the Scottish Bagpipes, I wore their skirts and tried to dance to their music, I rested in the fresh forests and watched the Sun rise,
I laughed as they spoke funny words I never understood, I argued with people about the Earth being round and found out how some acted to be wise.

I travelled all along the England and saw people in hats and coats, I saw the big walls with strong men's pictures pasted asking me to join the lumberjacks, I decided to try,
I travelled in carriages run by horses and talked to Sherlock Holmes, I learned that they had small sticks that would burn up in an instant, I realised they could now make metal birds that could fly.

I worked on a boat that sailed into America, I came onto the coast to find people wearing feather hats and how men rode on horses in the deserts, trying to remember their own names,
I met the Yankee Doodle who asked me to join the army, I wore a cowboy's hat and learnt to tie a Lasso, I tried to use a gun and joined the Sheriff in stopping the locals' war games.

I sweated my way to Mexico to see Spanish men calling me lovingly, I ran through Mexican streets trying to escape the hot sun, I ate their Nachos, met some Mariachis and sang with them a song,
I kept my heart in my mouth as I saw people dying trying to kill and run, I begged people to leave me as I saw them smoke leaves they called cigars - fat and long.

I rowed to Africa and saw nothing but jungles until I met people who were stark naked, I stood without any clothes in the blazing heat and hunted for food, swam to catch fish,
I ran for my life from the Man-eating men in the deep forests, I shared my sorrows with a ghost who asked me my wish.

I then rode on a camel to Arabia where I saw black water come out from sand, I met Sheiks who told me about the Quran, I stared in wonder as I saw the Magicians remove from the small bottle a big black snake,
I was called into meet rich merchants who offered me food to work, I saw women wearing black, I drank their tasty wine without even taking a break.

I had seen everything, the mountains, the rivers, the women, the tall trees of Russia and the great warriors of Rome,
I now came back to the land of cultures, the land of spices, the land of unity - the land they call Bharat, I now came back home.