An Infancy, I fancy

An Infancy, I fancy

From a ten-inch womb
with a little elbowroom
for a fetus to move about
an infant bouts to come out
to a limitless open space
captivating its mother with its grace
relieving her from pangs and pains
with joy of motherhood, that robs of her strains
crying loud at the feel of space outer,
for its freedom, to thank its mother
announcing its arrival on this earth's crust
falling flat enjoying her light and floor dust
Sure, it forgets its cries later to remember
that grownups there contemplate to infer
With a cut of naval chord
its a separate entity, all accord.
Clings it, then to the mother’s breast
sucking her love to remain for lifelong, blest
as no other love of any measure
can stand to that of the mother.
From a fetus in the womb and an infant on the lap
the mother feels on pain and pleasure, the gap.
Its deeds, smiles wails, and aura of innocence
command love from all charming them at once.
Fancy I thus a child in infancy
musing what its past could be.
Felt I my story in my mother’s womb
kicking her for finding no playroom
beyond my fancy to comprehend my feel
up to the mother’s breastfeed, it is an ordeal.
The ordeal is very great
the gravest we must rate
the travel to Mum’s breast
from darkness with suffocation at its crest
definitely a tale of anguish an infant can only tell
underneath their cries thus infants perhaps spell.
The Lord has given no power to man to spell
on his birth and death the woeful tale to tell.
An infant's mighty weapon is its cry
with tears or no tears in the eye
varying pitch and intensity measure
from it, infant’s need gauges its mother.
The cause of the infant’s smile and laughter
at an early infancy is a subject to ponder.
Fancy I these as infant’s ignorance
smile at my infancy, such occurrences.
To curb the curiosity at this age
often I travel back to my infancy stage
meditating upon my memory lane
to reminisce then my pleasure and pain
begging pardon for my lapses and confusion
arising out of true remembrance and impressions.
Remember I on certain
in a studio, the photographic session
with an aunty, mum, and me in dad’s hold
when I was hardly a year old.
With suit and shoes dressed me, mother,
on the photo, to appear smarter.
but wetting the dress I embarrassed her
the photograph on the wall now brings laughter
with socks and shoes without a shirt and shorts
makes fun of me and infancy memory ports
forcing me to beg apology from my smiling mother
at such an age she expresses her experience, as bitter.
Often dresses mother her infant child
only to see it soiled by an infant making her wild.
In anger and frustration caused by deeds errant
still derives, she immense pleasure from her infant.
Mother runs after her infant
crawling or sliding fast to the front
to pick up and put in mouth from the ground
whatsoever it finds around
to feel its feel as its initial lesson
cries it if it is not to it a thing of fun.
on gaining a little wisdom
it hides worms under the palm staying calm
to hide from mother’s eye
and put in my mouth for its feel to try.
parents give the infant a doll or a toy
to learn to share its love and joy
from mother alone to the world outside
to stay with pleasure sharing caring on scale wide
in a cold winter
Dad brought a sweater
full neck sleeved
multicolored woolen weaved
me to wear in the cold winter.
but mom’s endeavor to put it on me
suffocated me as if my life did flee
cried I loudly without break at the end of my sigh
forcing the mother to abandon her try.
the fear continued me for frighten long
till I was grown up with determination strong.
For the entertainment of villagers
come with their crafts and acts many actors
ox dance, horse dance, open pandal drama play
those all have vanished today.
in ox dance noticed I its wear
full pants of matching color
distaste I developed for pants full
with those pant, I shall be a dancing bull
never I wear full nicker till old I was grown
because of the elders’ jokes and fun.
Af the horse dance, show
to my glee, I saw
a horse dancing with songs and drum beats
under a horse mask a man performing the feats
But the next day I saw
to my surprise and awe
without makeup and painting
with ornaments garments glittering
the next day he came to sell us fish
it took a long time for my ignorance to vanish.
Open pandal drama I stopped to see
as killing on the stage frightened me.
My dad’s grandma I hazily remember
she gave an early bath in cold water
to make me healthy when I grow older
when my mother goes for her chore to the river
leaving me her sleeping infant under her care
when I on wake up usually soiled my wear.
Remember In my early initiation
to read write and cite as an early lesson
Many slates and chalks broke I

put those in my mouth to my glee
spoiled I books by pouring inks from the inkpot
for which from my brother's punishment I got
protections I got from elders present
my loud cries excused me for my deeds errant.
Next close to me after my mother
most dear was my grandmother
used I to spend time with her
in evenings under darkness' cover
Needed I her protection
to silence my mother, on me, her aggression.
For me the shelter from any fear
was the lap and arm of the mother
I was sure, no enemy could harm
once I am in mother’s arm
that knows an infant
hides it there to enemies hunt.
true, any mother from any breed
protects her infant, to the enemy never concedes
Held in the armpit or seated on a shoulder,
or at the back holding the neck moved, I with pleasure.

Even at an early infancy
mother’s arm only infant is found to fancy.
recognizes it as its mother
cries it on the hold of a newcomer.
Of course on the passing of days
on persons, after its many a gaze
goes it to acquaintance's arms
perhaps assessing there, no harm.
From arms to arms it enjoys leaps
with giggle and laughter thus love in i,t creeps.
Hey Adults! Look at an infant
his fight and enmity only for an instant
next moment animosity forgets they
its faith in mother never does sway
when you throw it up
never doubting fall giggle never they stop
teaching us faith, unflinching
that a sea change in is it will bring.
deriving pleasure alone on its own
its smile in silence that has shown
the aura of innocence simplicity true
that man forgets when infancy he bids adieu.

Thus fancy I in infancy
with its plethora of glee
that has been robbed of me
with time and age, it did flee.
ti

P K Routray
In the service of the Lord

(ASn infant here is meant here an early childhood up to age three years old)