I wrote this poem long after my beloved mother passed away…
Even as kids, my siblings and I saw her and knew
her as the epitome of self-sacrifice. All she got in return after our wonderful
dad died were problems and health issues: chronic, painful, debilitating
arthritis being one of them. We, her children did what we could to make life
easier for her but our mother was always too worried about 'society'.
If there is one lesson we all learned from her
example it was not to lose ourselves to the extent she (and even her younger
sister) had done in their ‘addiction’ to put others before themselves. We know
she understands and blesses us from wherever she is.
Duty-bound
by Shernaz
Wadia
duty-bound
to a fault
parents
and siblings,
husband
and in-laws,
children
and friends ~
their
priorities
a
desert storm that
tossed
and twirled
whirled
and swirled
entombed
self-love
duty’s
dunes above
she
plunged headlong
and
duty, like maggots
in
a dank grave
feasted
lifelong
on
reams and reams
of
her secret dreams
she
dunked herself
flesh,
bone and sinew
and
duty, like an ogre
merciless,
unremitting
chomped
and chewed
her
leisure, passions, self-care
his
daily toothsome fare
duty-bound
to a fault
aspirations
skeletal
but
spirit indomitable
epitome
of altruism
she
bequeathed a legacy
to
replicate which is lunacy
Shernaz
Wadia is a retired primary school teacher, and lives in Pune, India. Her
articles, short stories and poems have been widely published in web journals
and anthologies. She has published ‘Whispers of the Soul’, a collection of
poems and “Tapestry Poetry” – a genre of poetry, developed by her and Israeli
poet Avril Meallem. More about this form can be read here.
~If you are interested in seeing your poetry appear in this blog, or submitting a poem by a woman that has inspired you, please click here for submission guidelines. I greatly look forward to hearing from you!~
Duty-bound to a fault... is almost a trait of that generation.
ReplyDeleteA great tribute to a mother Shernaz!
I can identify myself with you.