NEAR THE HOSPITAL BED

You are there, waiting at the hospital bed
Near amma,
Who had pulled you out and together
Many a time.
You call God, asking to
Set her back in shape
Who else could pull her together
She who had borne
All the four of us
On her shoulders
Three kids and her man
Breast fed and brought along.

How could she
A slim and middle sized woman like that
Do it?
My sister wonders
And so do I.

How could she have found the nerve to
In a world that had turned the table against her
But with the faith and courage in herself and in God
'cause he/she/other who can pull together
A world so out of joint
Need be commended and praised,
And I can't forget that bit of faith
And praise that is due to her
Who now lies on the cot
And wish that she could get around
Easily and without trouble
And laugh again, that laugh that she had lost
Somewhere along the way.