This poem was written as a response to the piece Navigating Autism. I was moved by what Swathi Chettipally had written and I thought, “life goes on with all its ebbs and flows, perhaps accentuated at this challenging time, for children with disabilities/differently-abled and those with chronic illness.”
Veiled and Shut
The sing-song of your, ‘mama’ rings in my head
The blithe spirit numbed
Now so lonely in a crowd
No joy gladdens
No fears felt?
These distant eyes
That once spoke
Mystic, shut, veiled
In self-enchanted?
What thoughts repressed
And brilliance locked
What love burned
And pain muted
Oh, lament unsaid…
No tears shed,
No laughter spread…
The sing-song of your, ‘mama’ rings in my head
******
Madhu Raghavan is a pediatrician who enjoys writing, exploring our great outdoors, gardening, and art as a pastime. She is also the artist of the featured image.