1
I was the child
eager at your table
My fingers on the edge
and my face on the back of my hands
And I was curious
to see what you were doing
And I said:
"I think I could do that;
I'd like to do that"
And you smiled
And you said:
"Maybe, one day;
You got to learn
You go to become
Meanwhile go and read
Go and become
and come back when you're done"
2
Do you remember? -
I did what you said
and I walked many a mile
I spent days and nights
I kept the candle workers alive
And I came back
and you smiled
And I said
"I could do that;
I'd like to do that"
And you smiled
I think it was a quizzical smile
a sphinx smile, a riddle smile
And you said:
"Go and become
And come back when you're done"
"But I'm done, "
I said
"I'm become"
But you smiled
and you spoke words
That flew like jets
that stood like marble columns
like the Palace of Whitehall
And you smiled
"You never become, "
you whispered to one another
3
Do you remember
the day you made me the stranger?
Do you remember you made me trade
an Eager face for one Tired and Wornout?
Do you remember
the days I tried
the days I returned? -
and you said:
"Go and become
And come back when you're done"
And you smiled
"You never become, "
you whispered to one another
What a good poem that talks about the parent's inability to guide their children and sometimes parents actually mess up with their children's life by wrong guidance! Thank you, Raj Arumugam..
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
How sad and discouraging.. The child was eager and full of aspiration. I believe he could have done it. Could've become something great.