BE A CHILD

BE A CHILD


Was I born a child at all?
Did I have a childhood?
Innocent leisure, free time
These never feel I could.

The world is too much with us,*
Life is a rigmarole.
We are stuck up with the parts
Ignoring the view whole.

Those fancies that children have,
Those hopes and ambitions
Are forgotten and buried
By forced inhibitions.

What is life if full of care**
Of machine, computer?
We have ignored and abused
our own Mother Nature!

He bestowed the gift of love
As He gave world to us.
Charging us with compassion
He had instructed thus:

“Love all men, women, children
Fowl, fish and beast and plant.”
Love this earth and sky and moon
If happiness you want.

Don’t be oblivious to
Wonders of Nature wild.
Open up, shed your blinkers
Man, be once more a child”!


* "The world is too much with us" –Opening line of Wordsworth’s poem by the same title: http://www.bartleby.com/106/278.html

** “What is life if, full of care”—Opening line of the poem “Leisure” by William Henry Davies: www.davidpbrown.co.uk

Written in abcb 7-6-7-6 format.


M C Gupta
13 March 2005