The Heart's Beat

Nine months inside the womb
She struggled to move out
From those protected walls
That kept her safe from heat and dust.

She moved, she kicked & she turned,
In her shell she made all the fun;
Together she and her mother smiled
As each day past by
As each day she grew strong
As each day her heart beat
Faster than ever before!

Each day she desired
To be with her mother
Each day she wished
Her mother touch her,
Her mother felt her,
Her mother fed her,
Giving the warmth of the bosom!!!

Finally, the time came when
She felt the urge to come out
Pulled out by the local old nurse –
Whose traditional hands has
Cut many a cord, giving
A breath of life to a new life!

She was out from the shell that
Kept her safe and secure
To the world of heat and dust
Of life and death!

The first cry relieved her anguish
From inside the womb to
A world that she silently looked into
Her little bright eyes, now wandered
As she moved her tiny frail fingers
To catch the worldly bliss!

She waited and her mother too
Felt her warmth in her bosom
Her little hands felt her too
And she looked and wandered; again!
Each smile greeted her,
Each face, she brightened up
Each hand caressed her,
Each pulse felt her
Each eyes envied her!

She was in the world where
She wanted to be, her mother’s
Protected arms…
Her bosom giving the warmth
That she urged long from
Within the womb!

Now she lay in peace
As little heartbeats filled the space around!
Her eyes closed in sleep, her hands still
Feeling the beats of her mother’s bosom
The same peace was in the mother’s eyes
As she watched, smiled and closed her eyes.

Long silence; longer hours of peace
Engulfed, and calmed the tensed mother
Her daughter was in close protected nest
Out in the world, but carefully held and prevented
From the heat, sun and dust

Under the moonlight night
Carefully covered under the shimmering
Night sky, with stars twinkling and smiling
Peace! Finally, peace at heart, peace as the
Heartbeat slowed down – the warmth of the
Child and mother in union – carefully protected
By the stars and night sky;
Aware, but ignored of the morning sun
The day’s heat and the dust
From the hills blown by the wind;
In sleep, in peace, they lay…!

RAJDEEP PATHAK
March 13, 2010
ENDS#