My infantile gratitude

My infantile gratitude
P K Routray
In English some call her mummy, some call mom and others call hr mother,
Sweets are the names even in language to language it may differ.
She has variety of names in varied language from Afrikaans moeder to Yiddish muerter.
In my mother tongue Odia I call “Bou” even at this old age the call to me is very dear.
I am venturing here to write a little about my mother,
looking her from my infantile eyes with all gratitude to her.
Even at this age when I am in physical or in emotional pain,
To get relieved I call her loudly or slowly again and again.
It may be my ill developed psychology or immature emotion,
yes it is built in me from infancy as if she is my only protection.
.
This is a micro fraction of my recollection,
based on my direct and indirect information and impression,
My life’s recollection will take volumes to express my gratitude,
it may take efforts of several lives to only brief my pensive musing on her as so far accrued.
While penning this for my friends in my eyes tears of gratitude are welling,
Everyone has mother and must have similar feeling,
for her we her children are dearest irrespective of age and status,
Our health and happiness are her only focus.
When I see a mother hen protecting her children from a ferocious vulture
I feel panicky and awestruck for a similar situation to my mother.
My mother was nineteen when I was born,
With immaturity in her wisdom and undeveloped physique I must be her embarrassing
burden.
with alien environment and traditional orthodoxy in her in- laws house,
how could she withstand pangs and pains trials and tribulations, it is a matter to muse.
During my birth both nursing and medicating were done by an illiterate old lady available in the village,
who disconnected my naval chord with broken earth pot and cow dung ash from her body with courage.
My grandmother told me my infancy story,
before I wakes up she goes to the river for her daily chorus in a hurry.
But daily I used wake up before she is back,
And shout loudly for her milk and she gets in-laws’ thrash.
I used to get all the loves of the house at her sacrifice and cost,
Perhaps she still enjoys her peace and happiness and her love for us does never exhaust.
At her age girls now are teen agers playing with toys and puppies,
but she was made up of different stuff to bring up we human babies.
At this age when I am old and she is older,
She prays for relief of my pain ignoring any pain in her.
When I am in hospital and under treatments,
Limpimg she comes, praying God to ensure my recovery out of my ailments.
Oh Bou! I have given you many pains since from infancy till this age
I can only pray to be your mother for many births to return my gratitude at least in some percentage.