You Were Still A Kid. Poem by krishna kumar

'You are my lovely kid', you said when I was born,
You taught me to speak, write and walk.
You gave me all the knowledge about people and the world.
You applied oil to my hair and powder to my face
You never let me away from your sight and,
You were cautious on my every action.
You told I was just a kid to learn them by myself,

I went to school, you said the same.
You held my hands, and taught me how to cross the roads safely;
You combed my hair, adjusted my tie and tied up my shoe laces;
As a protector, from the stray dogs,
You accompanied me to the school every day,
After the dark, you never allowed me to play with others,
You were afraid of the news spread over the child abduction.
You told 'My little Prince, is just a school going kid.'

And after I finished my primary schooling,
You never wanted me to rush for the school bus, and
You were heeded that I had no trouble with other chaps in my bus.
You eagerly waited for safe return of me from the school,
A minute's delay of my bus would cause,
Thousands of apprehensive thoughts in your mind
With another minute's delay, you would be ready to come to my school.
You said to me that I was still a kid, to watch out these,
Because I might, easily get deceived by others.

I finished my school, and went for graduation.
You still bought my favourite stuffs and clothes,
You never allowed me for late night cinemas,
Whenever rained, you pestered me to carry an umbrella,
You were cautious, that I may get sick,
And whenever I got ill, though I refused,
You compelled and dragged me to the doctor,
And there you advised the doctor, not to prescribe the sour tonics.
You said I was still a kid,
And I hadn't grown yet to deal these by myself.

I graduated and went for a job.
The whole world saw me as a man,
With you the things hadn't changed,
They remained the same like the things, done when I was a kid.
You prohibited every time when I wanted to drive a bike;
You scolded me, when I watched T.V. continuously for hours.
You made sure that I ate properly and was not distracted by anything.
You even then, made me sleep early and didn't want to wake me up so early.
In the night still you check whether the blanket had covered me fully or not
You told that I was still a kid, and
I was young and not mature enough to care myself.

I got married and I become father to my kid.
You pampered my kid, yet stroked my head and said,
'Always you are my favourite kid.'
Still you wait over the door, so that I can leave home comfortably
Ring me up continuously, when I was not in time to the home;
You still wanted me to drink the turmeric milk every night.
Still, you take much care about me like you did always,
And as usual you would say,
I was still a kid to give more attention to my health.
How much old I may become, I know, for you
I would never grew beyond a juvenile and
I would always remain a kid, as youthful as the day I was born.

Though I was always young to you,
And never get aged, you were not like the same.
It was either I forgot or you hide, but
I could understand that,
You were becoming fragile and not as strong as before.
I could realise that you grew old at the same time.
Whenever I see you lying on the bed:
Sometimes without any movement and sound,
Closed eyes with the thoughts about me sleeping peacefully;
I would be scared, that I stumble; and
I stand there for minutes and gaze you silently, then
I come near you and bend down to hear you breathe,
And make sure that my angel still hadn't left for the heaven.