AN EMPTY WOMAN

AN EMPTY WOMAN


As a young vivacious girl,
light of step and light of heart,
each morning it was as if
a new life for me did start.

Life then always seemed so full,
chasing the bright butterflies.
Pups and cats and frogs and birds
had for me a big surprise.

As I grew, young boys came in
to further enrich my life.
One of them asked, I agreed,
to one day become his wife.

Life then always seemed so full
of long chores and joys and woes.
I had no time to perceive
how the effect of age grows.

Kids became adults and left
to build small homes of their own.
My husband and I were left
to, for them, ever bemoan.

Life even then was so full,
heeding one another’s needs;
trying to spot red roses in
the old memories’ wild weeds.

But now I am all alone,
gone forever is my man.
Empty house, an empty mind,
I am an empty woman!

• Written in abcb 7-7-7-7 format


• Initially written as entry 492822 in WOMEN'S AND GENDER ISSUES, "Invalid Item" . Posted as the present static item on 20 July 2008.


M C Gupta
6 March 2007