They saw him in growing
In her womb he lay
They held hands together
Waited for the big day
They held his finger tight
While he ventured that first trail
He clicked those first pictures
When he clutched her hair
While he would nibble on his petite nails
She did not buy a saree that day
Because for a playstation he whined
He made peace with his worn out shoes
For his smile over the new bicycle was prime
For his education alone
They worked for extra hours
While there was an AC in his room
They spent July in sweat showers
Now he is a big man
Has achieved by leaps and bounds
They smile at each other when they see him
Feel proud of their mighty son
I walked past their house
And heard someone shouting
No it wasn’t her anymore for his incomplete homework
Neither him for his scattered things
It was him now shouting at them
It was him telling they interfered
It was him saying they were too old
To watch television disturbing his news
To wish for a walk alone
As the house would be empty then
And vulnerable to thefts
I wondered, were they the watchmen?
Today as I walked by I heard her shouting
His wife it was, the son’s wife
She shouted at the mother
For she left some grey hair
In her comb.
Was it a vintage comb? I wondered.
Many such days followed
They were accused of open taps
Of unheard mails
They would sit in the veranda sometimes
Looking into nowhere they lay
Pondering over what went wrong
Talking with the birds they would say
“Children are our assets, no matter how they behave”
After a few days I saw the smiles back
Together they walked towards the carMaybe going out for a holiday, I thought
As a few packed bags they loaded
The house was quite
The veranda deserted
The birds no more there on the parapet
As I asked the little one in the family
Where granny grand pa were,
At “old home” he said
I looked at him playing
The bicycles were back again
I wondered if this cycle would follow
When this kid will leave his parents
On their own when it was time for him to pay
Pay back all that they did for him
While he was ignorant and they only loved more
Each passing day
The two left to the old age home
Spent their lives together in depravity
Not of resources, but love
Not of money, but family
And died a desolate death
While all that they owned
Some money, some jewellery
In his name alone they wrote their will
And I realised that day
Its only parents on heaven and earth
Who love even on being dejected.
All they yearn for is a little love. Too much to ask? Please do think.
soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooperb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I think blogspot should have a 'I am your official fan now' button somewhere to express what I am feeling at this moment!!!!:-D
ReplyDelete**Its only parents on heaven and earth
ReplyDeleteWho love even on being dejected.
Aww. True.
Old age homes, sending off your parents to an "old home" as in this one.. truly disgusting. They taught you to walk and the first hand you held onto was theirs and now you shove them with those very hands into a abysmal, ugly place. Do people not shudder at the very thought of it? Look around you, there are trillions of parents who've gone through this. Heart-wrenching.
You expressed it SO well, my poetess :* The detailing was so good.. the vintage comb, unheard mails.
Too sentimental <3
And yay, mai first againnnn.
I worked for a month in an old-age home as part of my internship, this year.
ReplyDeleteIt brought tears in my eyes, seeing those people suffer, emotionally. They missed their children, grand-children and wished they were okay.
Before that I used to think, it was all in the movies.
This poem is exactly how they feel. So Beautiful. My eyes are moist again.
I am such a fan! :*
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ReplyDeletethere are times when words cease to be enough.
ReplyDeleteThis needs to be HEARD! This needs to be READ! I won't comment on how beautifully you have penned it. Rather, I am taking this space to express my gratitude from the bottom of my heart for writing this. For the emotions you evoked, you deserve the warmest hug, the sweetest kiss, the everlasting blessings and I am pretty sure babes, this all will stay with you.
ReplyDeleteYou are one person I look up to. You are one person the world will look up to. I love you Priyanka! :*
Rahul: Aww!! Thanks re, thats so sweet :) :)
ReplyDeleteAayushi: It indeed is terrible honey. My heart shrinks at the very thought. Inhumane are the people who subject their parents to such a treatment. Not realizing, what goes around comes back around!
And, thank you sweetheart :)
Anuranjani: You have a strong & a warm heart believe me. You have been among them. I am too timid to stand alone before them, its a matter of courage. Their pierced souls cry while they hold a smile that can put anyone to shame. And hence, i write, with all my compassion. for them :) And thanks honey, thanks so much :)
Raj: My purpose is achieved if it got you thinking, even if it was for a moment :) And if i am tracing your sentiments right, i would say a Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteNeha: You will never stop pampering me, will you? Unfailingly kind and always so full of love which so reflects in what you write! and you know how much a fan I am! And when it comes from you, it means just so much. so much that I read it over and over again :)
I love you more <3
if you were tracing my sentiments right, you would probably have dropped in on gtalk. :)
ReplyDeleteWoW ~ this is such a moving post and penned so beautifully, Priyanka :) I'm so impressed that someone as young as yourself has taken the time to address such an important, heart-breaking topic and I agree with everything Cяystal said ...
ReplyDeleteYou told a whole story of time with your words and the addition of the images are fantastic!
Kudos to you, dear! :) *hugs*
Fiona: Thanks a lot!I was just going through some ads and there is this one ad that caught me and i was numb. and i thought if not anything, i must write..
ReplyDeleteHere is the link..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_v7DcY-Tds
You're welcome, Priyanka :) Thanks so much for sharing the inspiration to this post ~ I can definitely see why it moved your pen to write :)
ReplyDelete:):)
ReplyDeleteIts just perfect...no words to appreciate your work... you write amazing..
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Juhi..Thats just too kind of you :) :)
ReplyDelete