Sunday, February 19, 2017

Fare Thee Well

​we start with each of the batch 
bickering about your unkempt hair​
and your unruly behaviour

​we keep saying, study, study study
no games, no television
only practicing, only books​

​half of the year goes like this
somewhere down the line
you really get what we say​

you blossom, we watch
you acquire knowledge which 
we can only direct you too

​all of a sudden, it changes
we are filled with love for each of you
which can't be contained anymore​

your smiles, the mischievous eyes
and that inquisitiveness
​we
​ ​
will
​ ​
miss them too much

when one of you
​ comes close

and hugs without restraints
​we
 light up like a lamp

with each batch, 
​our 
hearts breaks
yet
​ we
 can't get away from that elation-
you are now ready to face the world

​we
 know 
​we
 will continue to say,
"go, live it up, go, spread your wings"
with that mixed feeling of love and loss

@gautami.tripathy

13 comments:

C.C. said...

I think you've captured well the emotions one has when spending time building into the lives of kids in any capacity.

indybev said...

Parenthood encapsulated! Well done.

Sanaa Rizvi said...

Beautifully written :)

brudberg said...

I think that is the growth we all love to see :-)

Colonialist said...

And maybe — just maybe — they will continue to visit the nest for the rest of their lives, because they want to.

Susan said...

Great title. We want them to fare well in study and in life, we want them to be prepared. But that "Fare thee well" has a double edge to it when it means "goodbye."

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

This could be about parenthood, as others have interpreted it, but to me it reads as the words of a schoolteacher, saying goodbye to each class at the end of the year, having taught them and bonded with them. (Of course, parents are teachers too, but it was the word 'batch' which sounded to me like greater numbers of children than one family.)

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Oh yes, love and loss together, pride and fear and wonder all mixed........they try to fly beyond our protection and we hold our breath and watch them wobble, then take wing........

Myrna R. said...

I thought I would never recover from my sadness at my daughter's leaving. But, I found our love kept growing. It's hard to let go but you've been good parents and your influence will always be with your kids. All will be well.

said...

I am not willing to even think about this. I am nowhere near ready.

Susan Anderson said...

My sister is a teacher who describes her experience very similarly.

kaykuala said...

Great narration of untiring efforts for the future flag bearers who rightfully need them now!

Hank

purplepeninportland.com said...

This is so well done. The tears, joy, and pride really come across.