# A Child's Instinct... Poem by Mamta Agarwal

Whenever I think of my grand daughter,
And the memories I have built with her.
I draw on them for sustenance,
When my lips are curled in grimace.

The innocent expression on her face
Helps to dispel the weariness of my days.
When I talk to her on the phone,
She queries when I am coming home.

I ask her why you don’t come to spend a day.
She promptly says well I am on my way…
Once in a while when she comes to the house,
She sits on my bed and gives a tug to my blouse.

And asks me to show all my pressed flowers.
I don’t know how the moments slip into hours…
As I take out each flower from my scrape book,
Sense of wonder on her face is worth a look.

Please, please Nani, can I take a few?
I stick some on a paper with little glue.
Her face lights up and she gives me a hug,
Enough to give my heart a tug…

Innocently she says, why do you dry flowers?
When I can’t go to the park due to a shower,
Or if I am sick and filled with gloom
And can’t go out to see them bloom.

After a pause, she brightly says, today you are fine
Let’s go out and enjoy the flowers and sunshine…