To My Beloved Mother

Allow me to prostrate at your sacred feet,
Embrace your slender frame with tender love

Let me offer you bushels of pearl and coral,
With gratitude for all I am and for all I have

I shall rise as the moon on a harvest night
Or shine as the sun on a wintry day

I shall sing you to sleep with a lullaby
The same that you sang in my cradle days

I may be a rascal to all and in every deed,
But shall ever remain your beloved child

I may be no better than filth in the mud,
But for you, I will be lovely as a lotus bud

The trickle of milk I sucked from your breast,
Has turned into an ocean of pure gratitude

The life I received from your flesh and blood
Will attest to your kindness forever I live

As golden rays of age bathe in the twilight of life
As the second childhood claims its grip firm on you

As your memory begins to sag, glimmer and wane
You may still be praying for my health and long life

Could I stay by your side as a guard, as an aide
As a ring around your slender, ailing finger

The same that nurtured me to what I am today
That I can care for your needs as you did mine.

With ultimate respect and all my love,

Your Unni.