How little emotion is left in me!
I am a mother.
Considering what you are imagining
Of me,
I will repeat again –
I am a mother.
What do I do with this title?
This useless tag of a phrase –
Which has simply left me with:
How little emotion!
God has concern of my emotions.
God has concern of my well-being.
I go inside myself – like you go
Inside a mosque, or a church,
Or a temple –
To find answers.
I am afraid and relieved –
To share my dread.
I have watched my life –
Grabbing, wrenching my poor soul …

 

I have seen that the position of mothers –
Has brought them gossip and scandals.
Are you surprised at my words?
I’ve sometimes felt their heart cooking
On a kerosene stove.
Or, on some days –
The story of their sadness drags them
To the most cruel corner of isolation.
Oftentimes, they feel like, lepers.
Their feelings are like leathery stumps –
All numb and artless and hideous –
Showing cuts and septic wounds …
As a mother, myself –
Do I know the feeling?
I know the feeling!
That formless chaos of humiliation,
Brought upon the reputation of:
A Mother.
My conscience compels me to weep
For the term: Mother.

 

What do you think are the lessons for:
An understanding mother?
An affectionate mother?
An obedient mother?
A mother always possesses the protective instinct
For her children.
A true mother is a self-contained person –
Brought up on good principles.
Don’t forbid me to tell you all –
The universe was created by:
He – who sourced the light of life,
Out of a mother’s womb!
Are you surprised at my words?
Like – my position as a mother bringing
Me gossip and scandals!
My heart cooking on a kerosene stove!
My sadness which drags me –
To the most cruel corner of isolation!
Considering what you are imagining of me,
I have nothing more to say.

 

 

Dubai
26th December 2013

                          

Geeta Chhabra

 

Recited by Geeta Chhabra in Dubai for the Poetic Heart Event – Connecting Humanity in the year 2014.