Sarala poignantly captures in verse the agony of an aged mother sent to an old-age home, exclusively for Different Truths.

Oh God, how I cried to see that old lady being

Pushed into an old-age home by her children.

She cried and pleaded,

Please have a heart; I gave you birth with my labour

I brought you up with my little means

When I went hungry all night!

With a smile on my face and pangs of hunger,

I get up and make your rotis and curry

And I just had the leftovers from your plates!

I, again in the morning, go to the building site

Carrying bricks on my head!

Oh no! Take me back home, where

I will obey your rules and

Eat whatever I get, but please

Have a heart and take me home!

They were the least bothered

And went away, happily!

I couldn’t contain my tears.

I went up to her with a smile and

Asked her to accompany me to

My home, where I stay with my wife and kids!

She cried, this time with happiness.

I dried her tears and took her home!

My pain of losing my mother

A few years back, now eased a bit,

As I got a sweet mother now, and

I was happy to see her smile!

Picture design Anumita Roy

#Poem #OldMother #OldAgeHome #Mothers #Pain #DifferentTruths

Sarala Balachandran

Sarala Balachandran was working with an import-export organisation in the administrative department for 38 years. She retired eleven years back. Married, with two sons aged 43 and 36, she took interest in writing recently. She writes free verses.