O Mama, O Mom Poem by Sadashivan Nair

Said an aged woman
"My son is lucky,
Got a job in little town;
Never mind my loneliness,
My son should rise,
Live good life; "
After some weeks and months,
Son left to town;
Each Saturday and day off,
He visited mom,
Stayed together,
Enjoyed moments of bliss;
Days and months passed,
Son got better responsible job;
Too busy in work,
Coerced him miss weeks,
Months meeting mom;
So isolated;
Impatient bewildered Mom,
Said once to son;
"O my son, O my son,
Feel suffocating in lonely days;
Come soon it's long no see,
Relieve my loneliness";
Son visited as often as could,
But not as frequent as in past;
Unable to visit oft,
Shifted mom to an old age home;
Days and weeks
and then months passed;
Only son was always in her mind,
Always blessed him for his rise;
Too busy son visited not too oft,
Hoped, prayed for good health of mom;
A few days later,
An urgent telephone call
From the old age home;
"Your mom is serious
Urgent, come fast,
If you want see her,
In her last days of life";
Son rushed with girlfriend
As his son;
Mama said nothing,
Gestured her love to all,
Held the kid in lapel,
Gazing son, said;
"This old age home is too hot,
Even food can't stay fresh for long,
Arrange the fan and fridge,
Tears in worried son's eyes,
Said "Will arrange the same in hour or two"
Mom in silent assuring smile said,
"No, my son these aren't for me,
Am towards the end,
Few hours or a day left;
This are for you my son,
When you go old,
And settle down in old age home";
Crouching his head, tears in eyes,
Kissed mama's hand;
"O mama, O mama, I always
Expected you asking need,
But ye only gave in whole life,
Nothing ye expected
Except my good health and rise;
Even while enduring pain and hardship,
Ye worried of me and my pain;

© Sadashivan Nair