The Babies Are Born Twice.. Poem by Veeraiyah Subbulakshmi

These babies get naughtier day by day,
Not hearing me and loving me any way,
When it rains, she runs out to play,
When it shines, she likes to sunbathe,
When it thunders, she runs into my apron,
When there is a lizard, she screams with tantrums,
Feeding her is very difficult, the liquid food,
The toothless mouth hard to hold,
Spits on my face with ‘love and care',
Bathing him is not easy. He plays with water,
Soap and foam are the disasters,
The man in him is always there,
With perfect pant, shirt and a wallet,
Comb their flimsy hair with blunt comb,
Answer their silly questions,
With answers they want,
Taking them to the doctor,
On every fall and infection,
Looking at them with teary doubts,
Of how long and how many years,
Brain may send the wrong signals,
For them to behave childlike,
As long as they are alive,
I am there to provide and care,
Both known each other for decades,
Showered me with what I needed,
They are the wilted flower and
The shrunken apple with no glamour,
They are the dried fragrant flowers,
Wearing adult diapers.