Monday, November 19, 2007

My Mother....

When pain and sickness made me cry,
Who gaz'd upon my heavy eye,
And wept, for fear that I should die?
My Mother.

Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My Mother.

And can I ever cease to be
Affectionate and kind to thee,
Who wast so very kind to me,
My Mother.

Ah! no, the thought I cannot bear;
And if God please my life to spare,
I hope I shall reward thy care,
My Mother.

When thou art feeble, old, and gray,
My healthy arm shall be thy stay,
And I will soothe thy pains away,
My Mother.

And when I see thee hang thy head,
'Twill be my turn to watch thy bed,
And tears of sweet affection shed,
My Mother.

For God, who lives above the skies,
Would look with vengeance in His eyes,
If I should ever dare despise,
My Mother.

One of the best poems I have ever read. The lines of this poem keep floating to the top of my train of thoughts quite often these days.

We make so many demands as babies, as toddlers, as teenagers and as adults. She is always a taken-for-granted source of help. She meets all our demands, gives all that we want and keeps ready all that we may want. She puts our needs before hers. Her whole life aligns itself with our needs, our demands and our lives. She fights our battles for us or when she can't do that, she will be our pillar of strength enabling us to fight as well as win our battles.

Finally, when the time comes for us hold her hand when she fights her last battle, just hold her hand, not fight her battle for her, why do people fail her? Why do people think about leaving her in a hospital to be cared for while they go on a jolly trip? I am forced to think what would have happened to the kid had he/she been left in a hospital (or on roads for that matter) so that the mother could go on a jolly trip. Believe me, she would have deserved a break like that. But then she never does that, she would consider such a thought a sacrilege!

What race do we belong to? Where are we heading?

7 comments:

aMus said...

isn't it sad? That's why i wish for teh gift of health because who can foresee what teh future holds?

Prats said...

Mothers are placeed here on earth to take the place of God while he's busy elsewhere....
Thats the scenario nowadays..The I takes more priority than My Parents. But I hope it'll change one day...and we can give as much as we took...loved this poem..its beautiful

Jaya said...

Beautiful poem. People often do not realise when it is their payback time. Wishing for a healthy world!

Sairekha said...

Thou have been tagged! :)

love and squalor said...

alright, not to to support people who abandon their folks but have you ever considered the fact that everyone knows how to raise a child, everyone is taught how to, some way or the other but no one knows how to deal with a very sick grown up? I feel it's better to let the people who're responsible for everythin you are have access to facilities that you cannot provide all by yourself. I feel and I'm sure my mother'll agree that she'd rather be in the hands of professionals rather than her klutz of a daughter if there comes a day that she needs help.

Kavitha said...

Thinking aloud@ Health or no health you need someone, your beloved kids to be with you right?

Prats@ I hope so too...

Joy@ Amen

Ziah@ Tagged? Who? me? ;)

Love and Squalor@ Hmm..yeah I agree. If they are in need of such resources it makes sense to put them under professional care takers. But I was talking about people whom no medicine can help. Mothers who just wait for "that day". Beleive me I have seen such people..just waiting for that "moment" when finally all their woes will end....Does it make sense to put such people in the hospital? I mean all you can do is hold her hand and say, "thanks Mom, thanks for everything. I love you" Won't it give her some respite? Isn't it the least we can do for that angel?

Thanks People, for stopping by...and Ziah I will catch you later babe

Sumana said...

wonderful poem. Loved it. It takes a great deal of understanding to come up with such a good one.