Heaven!

(This one is for my beautiful daughter Mitha and for her first birthday being celebrated today. This is for the happiness she has given my wife Anitha and me in this one year. The first year of my daughter’s life has been the greatest and the happiest year in my life. She certainly has made us feel the heaven with her presence.)

I come home down and tired,
From the dust and toil every day,
On your mamas’ shoulder you see me from afar,
And jump and clap in glee recognising me,
And that’s when I feel... I’m in heaven!

When the cooker whistle blows,
You look terrified and howl,
I pick you up and try calming you,
When you clutch my shirt and smile,
You are the one I know pacifying me!

I wake up horrified from my sleep,
... As I feel a smack on my face,
I look at you sound asleep,
And your jumpy foot near my nose!
I find heaven again as I kiss your tiny toes!

We go for a drive and come late at night,
Most of the time you have slept tight,
I carry you in to the baby cradle,
That’s when I smell you, your urine and sweat,
Mixed with Johnson’s powder all in one... heaven!

I grip the phone awaiting the sound,
With mama you repeat the syllables’
‘Daadi’ makes no sense for many,
Never mind them as you know,
For I’m already there up in heaven!