Home coming

11^th December 2007

THE FIRST HOMECOMING

Two days after you were born

Dear Jannah…………….

they waited for you for so long

Your dad and mum. grand ma
Uncles, aunties, cousins
And the great grandmas
Too many to count,

Friends and relations…….
and me the grand pa,
your dads colleagues
and mums e friends

Because of the goodwill built
by them over the years ……….
Perhaps an important lesson for you
So early in your life…

If you could only pause, now and then
To learn to give more and take little
Inspite of the rat race
That you inevitably will face

In your country, where even to throw garbage
you have to have a plan
an insurance plan , a medical plan
and a mortgage plan…far too much to an old man

But dear little princess..
Though you took your time
To come..into this world
Today, You come home…..

Don’t ever forget little one
Inspite of web cams and skype
Yahoo and messengers
Uploads and downloads

Find some time for the birds
Dew drops and flowers
The wild ones in herds
And the cool waters of the rivers

In spite of wwws and the dot coms
Bluetooth, 3G and wifi
game consoles and ipods
Which will be your world

You will soon come to know,
There is some thing more
Whiter than the snow?
Love! Which you can not outgrow

Be generous, Love them all
Your dad and mum brothers and sisters
grandmas grand dads, and great grandmas
Uncles aunts and cousins

Love them all and don’t make war
Love them , selflessly, all those who would travel
by your side, in the path of your life,
even if they come only to take a ride

One day your mum will tell
That one of your uncles studied
In a country far away from yours
And mine, with great sacrifice

In a country where even an apple is luxury
Lonely and at times going hungry
To be there, just to care and share
Not only when the medicine cupboard is bare

One thing leads to another
You will have a sister and a brother
And another and another
Too many? they’ll ne’er be a bother

Now we know, you have no choice
You’ll come home to rejoice
And walk life's path always with poise
Yet being simple and nice

Your mum is tired
Dad has the car showered
Your seat well secured
And an uncle excited

Come home my princess
Where it will always be warm
Be it winter spring or summer recess
‘cos ‘tis the place Allah will always bless

Your crib is done
by your dad and mum
and the room by your uncle, it was a scrum
for, you to sleep without a hum

Each day for you
will bring something new
may your joys be more
and pains just a few

Growing up is fun
It is always a run
To get a place under the sun
'cos you are not the only one

So dear little girl
It is your world
Make a nicer place
For one and all – young and old

with love and affection...........

From ……………Your grandpa, grandma,

and uncles Ahsen and Aadil too

for you to read and reflect

when you will have some time left

On a warm snowing afternoon

in Milwaukee West Deer Run Drive

Brown Deer,

in your house, dear

From our room

Just after lunch

Waiting for you,

Sweet honey crunch

It is 2.30 pm

and we need a nap

before you jump

off your mum’s lap