Play away Children

Under the mango tree

Behind my house

Children are playing “kitchen”.

They have collected discarded plates and tumblers

Coconut shells halved to go for pans

Even thrown away ice cream cups have been washed

To be part of the kitchen utensils.

A girl is playing the role of a mother.

She is “cooking” meat in a pan

Potatoes or some wild fruit is the meat.

And now the food is ready.

Many guests have been invited

For it is a special occasion in the family

A birthday or the first rice feeding ceremony

The guests are seated in a row

The mouth watering meal is being served

The guests are eating to their fill, to their neck

They are burping loudly

And now it is the turn of sweets

The guests are gulping “rosogullas” and “sandesh”

Their cheeks are bulging

And lastly a pouch of “hajmola” to digest the food

To keep the stomach in order

For it is quite natural for digestive organs so loaded

To go awry and compel the master to run

To the rest room in repetitive motion next morning

Avenging themselves on the master for ill-treating them

Children, play away happily this moment

For one day you will have a real family

With its pain and burdens and cruelties

Play away children, play away for

There will be a day when you can’t play!