Growing Old

How amazing it was

To see the stars twinkling

And say so confidently

‘Grandpa's watching’.

Mother's lullaby

And her lap so warm

The world outside ceased,

No gloom, no harm.

The nursery rhymes

The jokes so innocent

That now seem stupid

And a nostalgia incessant.

A boy and a girl when

Hand held each other's

It was just friendship

No stupid rumours.

It was so amazing

To repeat after the teacher

"A for apple"

The cherubic faces, altogether.

The candy floss man

Brought gaiety immeasurable

In colours of pink

The flavour remarkable.

Daddy's fingers,

Big and grown

Holding them all the while

Like a part of our own,

In the market, in the park

Everywhere we went

Scared like hell

In a world unmeant.

Could cry whenever

We wanted a toy

A bablade, or a laser light

The magic pencil, oh boy!

It's sad to see

How time flies

The innocence and charm

Replaced with a wise.

A wise that often

Creates utter mess

Inducing diplomacy

And well-thought-of-lies.

The thin colourful books

A memory the neurons kiss,

The wan thick pages

Gifting a dark abyss.

The mind the mood

Each cell each part

Dreads the lectures

Sans merriment, sans good heart.

Spiderman's wrong,

And what he said so sour

Only great responsibility comes

Comes no great power.

"You've grown up now,

Don't act childish"

That's what you hear

When you have a wish.

A small wish

Of flying like a bird

In the bottomless sky

And not being a nerd.

A small wish

Of dancing oblivious

Of anyone around

Of the comments, careless.

What we want is just

The treatment back

Loved like a baby

And not talked of, behind back.

Growing up-compulsory,

Agreed of course,

But growing old, no

For that, don't force!

Wisdom will come

When it has to come

Until then dear adults

Let not childhood succumb.