A Mother’s Ode to her Lost Child

A  Mother’s Ode to her Lost Child

Remember, it was spring when we first sensed your arrival. The young buds blooming, the caressing sunshine, the cool breeze, the melting snow, all came to life. As Mother Nature was preparing for her annual spring collection of a riot of colours, resurrecting the sleepy earth, our love too burst forth like a fresh fountain. It was unsullied and pure like the morning dew. A heavenly moment when my desires, my aspirations, my hope came to light from the depth of my heart. My soul was reincarnated. Perhaps it was the first time ever that I recognized the song of life. A life full of chirping twittering birds -  flying unabashed in the homely comely dome of the sky. A life full of greenery, with bountiful flowers and fruits , a life full within itself and yet hollow without you. It’s not that this tapestry was not woven last spring or that we had not witnessed it but your presence made all the difference .The rustle of the trees, the flowing brook was all music to the ears. We were waiting for your arrival and you brought us to life. My yearning heart blissfully throbbed on getting the love that it was pining for. 

You came! You came like the ray of the Sun at break of dawn. My heart sang a thousand notes to welcome you. Nature came to life. My mind was numb – with happiness. The waters from the melting glacier flowed in full torrent, the young offshoots swayed and the gentle breeze on the plains, made waves in the sea of sunny mustard fields. It was nature’s billet –doux to you my dear. 

Yet time was not so kind. We had to part. You left the scene like a fading ray of twilight. My heart is filled with despair. Tears roll down my cheeks. The night has drawn her dark heavy robe to hide me and console me.  The breeze has lost its stride. The blossoms are barren and blind. The trees quiver in disapproval. The waters have frozen in their trail and snow lays its icy hand on nature, to protect it – to protect it until you come again to shower joy on all of us. The owls with their sharp eyes seem ghastly as they mutter. The birds are benumbed and forgotten their sweet notes. The life has lost the spring in its step. The assonance has faded in space.

Dearest, do come soon. We want you. We crave for you. We miss that warmth of pure love. Quench our thirst and wet our throats by your divine flawless love. We yearn for it .We long for it. Our hearts twinge in your coveted memory. But am sure that our love for you is a blessing,  which will serve as a guiding light for you and bring you back to us. We are ready for all pains but not the pangs of separation. We can’t bear to part with your love, my child, at any cost.

You are our lark, you are our robin, you are our cuckoo, our koel , Oh! Our protoplasm. You are ours, ours and only ours. 


(We read so many accounts of female foeticide where the mother sometimes has no say in the matter. This ode is an expression of the longings of a new mother who loses her child in the womb)

Anagha Hunnurkar

Anagha Hunnurkar

July 10, 2012