Woman 5 - she Is Just A Housewife! Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

Ajunath Sindhu Vinayala -
A young boy studying in ninth standard,
In a school in Thrissur, Kerala, India,
Observed and noted that
His father was always introducing
His mother as:
"She is just a housewife - she does not work! "
He did not understand his father at all.
The boy watched his mother working, non-stop,
From dawn to dusk, without a minute, to rest.

His mother wakes up early morning,
While others are still sleeping.
She feeds the hens and the cow.
She sweeps the house and her courtyard.
She waters the plants and trees in her compound.
She goes to the market to buy fish and vegetables.
She prepares and dresses her children for their school.
She cooks food and feeds her family.
She plucks papaya from the tree to cook.
She cleans the fish to prepare a tasty curry.
She washes the clothes of her entire family
She hangs them out for drying.
She even draws water from the well, for their daily needs,
She continues to work endlessly -
The chores that never seems to end!

Ajunath's Mother keeps working for the family,
The house, the domestic animals, the plants,
The trees and the entire environment around her.
And his father introduces her as
"Just a housewife - she does not work"!

Ajunath painted a picture of his Mother's daily routine
And presented it to his teacher in school.
The teacher amazed at his talent, as an artiste,
Forwarded the picture to the state Government office.
The painting got selected
As the cover picture for 'Gender Budget Document'.

The son made his mother proud
With his beautiful painting!
Wonder whether the boy's father has changed
His attitude and perception of a housewife? !