Children Poem by Aparna Chatterjee

Why is it
That we
Have
Children?

Is it the
Years of
Grooming
And social
Conditioning
That wants to
Make mothers
Of women and
Fathers of men?

Is it the woman’s
Way of proving
That she’s not
Barren?

Is it the man’s
Way of flaunting
That he’s virile
Enough to have
Children?

Why do we
Look with
Suspicious
Eyes -
At childless
Couples, as if
Something is
Terribly wrong
With them?

Even if they don’t
Want to, they have to
Produce children,
To avoid the
Stigma of being
Labelled as
“Infertile, Impotent
And Barren.”

Why does
Society
Dictate
Our choice
Of becoming
Parents?

My Advice:
Be mentally,
Physically and
Financially
Prepared
To have a
Baby,
As it’s not
A nine months’
Adventure, but
A lifetime responsibility.

Don’t just have a child
To please the whims and
Fancies of this biased society.



(Poem themed on Parenthood)