There Is a Child within Us

Yes, I do feel existence of a little child
Right there within me
A tiny tot who wants to giggle at his full throttle
A sprouting sapling who longs to cry for his mom
An innocent toddler, feeling pride in holding dad’s hand
And declares everyone - whose offspring he is

Nevertheless
I don’t let the child peep out of his hideout
And keep a vigilant eye on him
Just to ensure his solitary confinement
That I imposed on him
I find out various ways to subdue him
Against any possible outbreak of his emotions
As I believe to look a tough
Confident and aggressive man
And not a decent, cool, emotional human
Without feelings like love, compassion, pain
And down to earth simplicity

I keep my face covered with an invisible mask
Yet, I ensure having stiff upper lip
Piercing eyes and puffed-up nostrils
I do like someone to open the door of my car
For me to board
And would wait for the driver
To rush around the car
For making way
For me to disembark

I speak lies at office, at conferences and at home
I easily notice disbelief on the faces of people to whom I lie
Yet, I just keep lying
As it's added to my natural instincts
Sitting on the dining table at home for a dinner,
My little daughter looks at my face with amazement
While I tell a caller on phone
That I was busy
In a meeting with clients in the city trade centre

Yet, the mask on my face vanishes
When I retire to my bed every night
My eyes keep awake wide open
Gazing at the ceiling until midnight
I keep hearing the feeble clicks of wall clock
And the wheezing sound
of asthmatic breathlessness of my old dad
And the sweet tingling sound
of glass bangles of my mom
From the adjoining room

That’s the time when I recollect my childhood days
The days when I used to sleep
Right between my mom and dad
And used to feel my dad’s breath on my face
And mom’s feather touch on my chest
I feel sometimes as if I have lost
Many of my prized possessions
That I used to feel proud of
And recollecting those childhood days
I find my throat chocked
And tears rolling down my face