Let Her Sleep… Submitted by Nitin Gupta

 (Photo Source: Charles W. Bartlett – ‘Hawaiian Mother and Child’)

When you were in her womb, you kicked her
And woke her up from her peaceful sleep…
She caressed her stomach until you slept …
As an infant, you cried suddenly,
And she didn’t sleep in the nights…
But she rocked the cradle for you and made you to sleep
You grew and went to school.
She spent time on washing your clothes and getting you on time to school.
She didn’t get enough time to sleep…
But she woke you up late after arranging things for you,
So that you didn’t miss your sleep
In teenage, you came home drunk saying your love broke your heart..
She worried to bind you back and she couldn’t sleep…
But she took you in her lap and consoled you to sleep
Then you went for job and returned home saying you are tired.
She sacrificed her sleep to look after you…
And you slept well in her care
She got you the girl you needed.
And you left her in a separate room to sleep.
Some kind of worry as if you are moving away from her.
How could she sleep?
You became father but it is she who is everyone to your child.
You slept comfortably knowing she is there to take care of everything.
Now it is he – instead of you – who is making her sleepless..
You never ask her whether she slept well until everything is in order…
One day she sleeps forever, all goes restless
And then you realize …