Seema Jain (Children's World)

Seema Jain

My Father, My Hero

 

Born and brought up in a shack on a public park's premises

I have seen my humble father tend the lush green park;

Clean up its pathways and flowerbeds, and prune its tree branches and hedge plants,

Towing away in a pushcart the sod, the dried leaves and the trimmed branches

 

And I as a young boy help him water the plants and sprinkle water on the walking tracks,

Though I dislike some functionaries bossing him around at times

I enjoy the best of times watching kids, youngsters and the elderly alike

Visiting the park at different hours and filling it with yoga, games, music and laughter

 

My father, an upright industrious man who worships work

Remains my hero who schools me in a thousand virtues

Besides nurturing me like a tender sapling with his infinite love and care

I learn from him the quiet dignity even in a modest calling.

 

My World

 I am the whole world to my doting parents whose unbounded love is my treasure
And soaked in their infinite love and care, I cherish life in all its pleasures
I look at the world around and in my young mind float questions galore
And as some get answered, I have more and then many more.

Who painted the sky or the ocean blue?
Why don't the fish fly, or the birds swim, or wherefrom come drops of dew?
Who plants seeds under the soil that sprout and grow into huge trees?
Who tells the sun when to rise or set and what makes the rain drops freeze?

Who made the flowers, the butterflies, and the beautiful rainbow?
And why is that little boy at the traffic signal in rags even in mist and snow?
And I hope one day when I grow up I will try
To wipe tears of sorrow from every child's eye.

 

You Are the One

When I opened my eyes, there was darkness all around
Tribulations and sufferings did my life surround
There were many kids like me given food and shelter
But sans love and kindness, life seemed all helter-skelter

Then you picked me up and adopted me as your child
Planting a kiss on my tender cheek, you became the reason for my smile
Since then, to each and every moment of my beautiful existence
You are the one who added sparkling dreams with your persistence

The colors of the rainbow, the flowers and the butterfly
Have more meaning for me with the multiple hues of your love sublime
Without you, I would have been lost in the ocean of anonymity
You are the one, who like an angel, scripted anew my destiny.

 


Bio Note: Seema Jain

Seema Jain is a bilingual poet, short story writer, critic, translator and editor, Ex-Dean Academics, Associate Professor and Head, Dept of English, KMV Jalandhar. She has published five collections of English and Hindi poems, two edited poetry anthologies (one for Sahitya Akademi), two edited books, one book of translated poems and two translated novels (one for Sahitya Akademi). She has contributed to nearly 100 International/ National Anthologies, Journals etc. Her poems and short stories have been extensively published, translated, anthologized, and recited, and are included in the digital archives of Stanford University.  She is a recipient of many prestigious awards.

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