Wanna take you back when my womb would breathe
Your soft glow, the smell of vernix so sweet
Those tiny little fingers pink at the tips
Mittens covering them so your face wouldn’t chip
As you latched for feeds with fervid eyes
Your interim smiles, spilling milk on my thighs
So tight was your hold on my finger my heart
You were my apple you are my tart
Oh I still remember
that hurried feeding that day
when my weak bladder just couldn’t wait
As I rushed to relive myself
But came back and cried
My baby had slept on half stomach
Oh! he didn’t whine -he didn’t cry
The full curve of your cheek that I could see
As you slept like an angel turned on one side
The rubbing of your eyes and your yawns so deep
Wish I could engulf you as one big sweet
That day when you cried from your cot with open arms
As you wanted me to carry you out
I looked past you but why didn’t I stop
Had chores to finish before your bath
Oh why did I not stop everything at hand that day
My bad – such a disdain I was !
When at five, those words that you spoke
were pronounced so sweetly un-right !
Shoot! Why did I correct them
I fear, now you pronounce them so right !
Can you speak again like that once more
Can you get back again into that cot
Can you get back in my womb again and give me
Those moments that I have lost
You turn ten today and still tug at my heart
You are my teacher and you are my part
You have taught so much with your
Cuddles and warmth
God please give me the powers to reverse the clock
Or just the power to-PAUSE.
©Preeti S Manaktala
This is so beautiful. It’s such an irony; when they are young we are so busy we dont have the time to enjoy their sweetness.
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True that Smitha! We need to pause and enjoy every fleeting moment 🥺 time has wings
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