Sailing on a full moon night she went

In search of her beloved child

In the grip of fear her thoughts wandered astray

Through the silvery haze she peered calling out to her-

The echo alone responded to her call

Earnestly she prayed and pleaded with God—

‘Please let nothing amiss happen to my precious Princess’

On a picnic with her friends she had gone-

Latest by six (pm) she promised to return

How happy she looked in that dainty dress

Joyfully dancing up and down the stairs-

Showing her Mum –

How well on her own she could dress!’

A bubbly teenager she was-

Full of life and enthusiasm-

Always on the look out for an adventurous path

Her joy lay in traversing the untrodden roads-

‘Fear’ had no place in her dictionary

That’s what frightened her Mother to the core!

She with a mischievous smile teased her (Mother)

Singing away ecstatically-

‘On my way to the unknown land-

I travel, Mama Dear

A far off mysterious anonymous land it is,

I might forever reside there-

Your little vivacious girl-

You will see no more for a long, long time-

Loving Mother Nature will hide me from you

We’ll then play hide and seek—

You, Mama Dear have to find me, me, me —-

Her resounding laughter and the words petrified her Mother’

Very often she chided her daughter-

For singing that appalling song but to no avail!

Its ghastly lyrics kept haunting her as

To her daughter she frantically called out tearfully

Reverberation of her own voice was all she could hear-

Along with that wretched song ringing in her ears!

Crazily she started screaming,

Wailing loudly

But alas!

Empty handed she had to return

Leaving her beloved child-

Hidden somewhere in Mother Nature’s domain

The game of hide and seek forever she lost

Her loving Princess, she envisioned

Somewhere in the fathomless sea lay,

Shrouded with water

From her eyes eternally hidden-

Mother Nature abducted her darling child, she shrieked!

With a broken heart to her house she returned-

Haunted constantly by her darling’s sweet voice –

Singing that dreadful song!

                                                                             ~Anuradha S. Bannore

                                                                          Vadodara, India