To My Daughter

Dedicated to my niece, in response to her innocent question to her Mother (My cousin sister-in-law) "Maa, when will you die? How old will  I be then?"

I was busy with my household work
Unaware of my daughter’s lurk –
She rushed to me in the frenzied attack
And hid her face in the small of my back.
She, satisfied with her own tack-
Giggled triumphantly clinging to my legs-
Trying to divert my attention to her instead.
I turned around taking her in my arms
To know from her what she really wants.
She immediately sprung a smile at me
And she asked a question quite innocently:
“Maa, when you die, how old will I be?”
Overcoming the shocking query
I hugged her close to my heart gleefully;
And to her question I peacefully replied:
“My precious, I died the day you were born.
I seized to be a woman and became your ‘MOM’.
You are my flesh and blood, a part of me.
My child, you are not apart from me.
I live in you and I live for you.
I am with you at this very moment;
This is the only truth, for us, it is meant:
Our death none of us can foretell;
But, when I die, my dear daughter-
I will continue to live on in you;
And I continue to live on through you.
A truth that none needs an oracle to foretell.
My precious, I am proud to be your Mother…
I live through a mother’s stress and strain like no other.
I am proud of the title you have awarded me with
I shall treasure it, retain it and die with…
Still proudly proclaiming to be,’ Your Mother…’”