Teddy and I, and Kicha

Mommy was in the kitchen making
Round round something something,
It was Kicha ummachi’s birthday, she said
Kicha ummachi was going to be born that night
So she was making sweets for Kicha ummachi.
I was lying on Teddy’s big fat tummy, my fingers in my mouth,
“Did your mother make round round something something
On the night you were born, Teddy? asked I, dribbling.
But Teddy said nothing, his big black buttony eyes
Looking expressionless at me.

I know I mustn’t ask Teddy about his mother,
It makes him sad, but what to do,
I sometimes forget and ask him of.
Mother came just then with a plate full of white something
‘Baby, put your feet into this and walk around.’
‘Can Teddy come too?’ asked I, pulling my friend along.
‘No, darling, leave Teddy behind. Just you come.’
And took me off with the plate and without Teddy.

Mommy doesn’t like Teddy, you see, no, she likes him,
But not the way she likes me,
And though Teddy doesn’t seem to mind
I know there will be a tear in his eye
When Mommy doesn’t let me take him along.

I tried to lean back and take a peek at Teddy
But Mommy picked me up and put my feet
Upon the plate into the white something.
I cried, ‘No, no...’ and stepping out of the plate,
Ran away. But the white something was stuck
To my feet and made white feet marks
On the floor as I ran. I looked at Mommy
Scared she will scold me but Mommy
Surprisingly told me to run all over.

Maybe she likes white, not brown mud,
So I toddled away to fun.
Later when Mommy was not looking,
I took Teddy, put his fat short legs into the plate
And made him walk a few plumpy steps
Which made splotchy white daubs on the floor.

But Mommy didn’t see them, nor did she
Fat stubby legs dried with white, unlike my clean ones
Sticking out of Teddy’s chair. But the next day
When she saw the funny white rounds
And Teddy’s unwashed white dried feet
She got angry with me, as always.

Probably Mommy was angry because
Kicha ummachi didn’t get born in our house yesterday night
And she and Father had to eat The round round something something
All by themselves.

 (Written on Janmashtami Day, August 23, 2019)                    




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