I sat at a crossroads: I did not understand myself but wanted to.
-- Rajiv Mohabir (Open the Door)

Importance: The author places this line at the forefront of the memoir. Doing so allows him to introduce his reader not only to his overarching thematic objectives, but to his voice and tone throughout the chapters to come. Rajiv is therefore inviting the reader to take a journey with him as he goes out in search of his most realized self. He is in pursuit of his true identity, and is eager to discover himself through travel, poetry, writing, and song.

I have never been his son. A shut door.
-- Rajiv Mohabir (Home: Prolepsis)

Importance: One of the first poems presented in the memoir, "Home: Prolepsis" captures the inarticulable nature of Rajiv's longing for home and belonging. Although he has a family, his family often rejects and belittles him. This is particularly the case in the context of Rajiv's relationship with his father...