My Mother -1

Having had many jackfruit trees

In the back yard of her father's home,

my mother,

since her skirt-wearing days

enjoyed gorging on the succulent

yellow fruits,

Until, one day, in her late thirties,

she ate too much,

spent a fidgety day in the hospital,

Where the doctor, full of sympathy said,

"This is allergy to a new diet!"

And more recently,

In the cardiac ward, the doctor said,

"This is not a heart attack-

Just wear and tear".

When I gave my mother

that accusing look for

causing me needless anxiety, she said,

"In 75 years, a woman

is entitled to a day's stay in the hospital".

When I gently reminded her

of that previous visit, forty years back,

She said in her usual brusque way,

"But that was for a different reason!".