Mama, Look Up
By Jalila Nazerali-Ruddy
---------------------------------
September 2016
My eyes wide open to the world
Blinded by its beautiful
But I don’t turn away
I can not
Trees whispering secrets in my small ears
I giggle reaching my fat fingers to the sky
Feeling the sun trickle between them
I coo at the butterfly floating by me
Mama Look, I tug at your hand gesturing to the surroundings
But you did not
October 2016
I cry wailing around in my cot,
my stomach grumbled and moaned to be fed
My hunger-filled screeches piercing the quiet chirpless night.
You walk in, head down, with your face reflecting the glow of your screen
I hear you stumble and swear as you trip over the pink pig
i sent flying to catch your eye without looking, you thrust my bottle in the approximate direction of my mouth
I blow a bubble and giggle, batting at it as it floats
“Mama Look” I cry clapping my hands together with joy
But you have already left the room
November 2016
There’s a cold wind in the air
But I don’t mind, all bundled up in my winter hat, coat, and mittens
I swing high, higher ever before, my boots swing high above my head
I squeal with delight
I spot the pigeons on the ground below, as small as ants
The fresh air fills my lungs
My thought fly in different directions.
Creak
Creak
CREAK
I tilt my head
“Mama I think the swing is going to break” I call down
you reply without taking a glance ““Mmmhm….Uhhhh”
Screen-Fixed
Mama knows best
I swing and swing
I feel myself flying
I let out an ear-piercing scream as I hit the ground
Above me the broken chain dangles, the crack is clear to see
Mama why didn’t you look up?
December 2016
Standing in my big red boots, looking up at the sky
The leafless trees sway with the wind
The sky is nothing but grey, not even a glimpse of blue
sitting at the table near the fire your head bent over a glowing screen
A smile plays on your lips
The cat rubbing against your leg tries to get your attention
He will soon learn, as I have
I turn my head back to the open world
Ah!
White powder falling from the sky!
Ungloved, my fingers reach to feel
Cold, cold but soft
Amazing!
“Mama, Mama loo----” I stop
“Snow” I say to the deaf world
January 2017
I sat in my baby seat
legs swinging as i pressed my nose against the glass
Big building turned to small buildings,
busy streets turned to quiet streets.
Paved land to grassy rolling hills.
I slowly doze off to the land of dreams
Puppies, kittens, flowers, daisies, happy people their shining faces lifted up, taking in the world and they smile and talk
I jolt awake as the car comes to a stop.
I lift my head and glance around, a red light.
“Tap tap tap tap click-click” came a noise from the front
A noise I am very familiar with
Peeking around the front sure enough your head is tilted down, Screen-fixed
I sigh and lean back
The car starts moving forward
I start to panic, who is driving?
It couldn’t be you, you with your gaze lost in the glow
But it is.
“Mama look up” I wail
February 2017
Sirens sound but you don’t hear
Lights flash but you don’t see
A smell like burnt toast rises
but you can’t smell, Not anymore
Atlast your looking up
You’re unblinking eyes fixed to night sky
What do you see now Mama?
By Jalila Nazerali-Ruddy
---------------------------------
September 2016
My eyes wide open to the world
Blinded by its beautiful
But I don’t turn away
I can not
Trees whispering secrets in my small ears
I giggle reaching my fat fingers to the sky
Feeling the sun trickle between them
I coo at the butterfly floating by me
Mama Look, I tug at your hand gesturing to the surroundings
But you did not
October 2016
I cry wailing around in my cot,
my stomach grumbled and moaned to be fed
My hunger-filled screeches piercing the quiet chirpless night.
You walk in, head down, with your face reflecting the glow of your screen
I hear you stumble and swear as you trip over the pink pig
i sent flying to catch your eye without looking, you thrust my bottle in the approximate direction of my mouth
I blow a bubble and giggle, batting at it as it floats
“Mama Look” I cry clapping my hands together with joy
But you have already left the room
November 2016
There’s a cold wind in the air
But I don’t mind, all bundled up in my winter hat, coat, and mittens
I swing high, higher ever before, my boots swing high above my head
I squeal with delight
I spot the pigeons on the ground below, as small as ants
The fresh air fills my lungs
My thought fly in different directions.
Creak
Creak
CREAK
I tilt my head
“Mama I think the swing is going to break” I call down
you reply without taking a glance ““Mmmhm….Uhhhh”
Screen-Fixed
Mama knows best
I swing and swing
I feel myself flying
I let out an ear-piercing scream as I hit the ground
Above me the broken chain dangles, the crack is clear to see
Mama why didn’t you look up?
December 2016
Standing in my big red boots, looking up at the sky
The leafless trees sway with the wind
The sky is nothing but grey, not even a glimpse of blue
sitting at the table near the fire your head bent over a glowing screen
A smile plays on your lips
The cat rubbing against your leg tries to get your attention
He will soon learn, as I have
I turn my head back to the open world
Ah!
White powder falling from the sky!
Ungloved, my fingers reach to feel
Cold, cold but soft
Amazing!
“Mama, Mama loo----” I stop
“Snow” I say to the deaf world
January 2017
I sat in my baby seat
legs swinging as i pressed my nose against the glass
Big building turned to small buildings,
busy streets turned to quiet streets.
Paved land to grassy rolling hills.
I slowly doze off to the land of dreams
Puppies, kittens, flowers, daisies, happy people their shining faces lifted up, taking in the world and they smile and talk
I jolt awake as the car comes to a stop.
I lift my head and glance around, a red light.
“Tap tap tap tap click-click” came a noise from the front
A noise I am very familiar with
Peeking around the front sure enough your head is tilted down, Screen-fixed
I sigh and lean back
The car starts moving forward
I start to panic, who is driving?
It couldn’t be you, you with your gaze lost in the glow
But it is.
“Mama look up” I wail
February 2017
Sirens sound but you don’t hear
Lights flash but you don’t see
A smell like burnt toast rises
but you can’t smell, Not anymore
Atlast your looking up
You’re unblinking eyes fixed to night sky
What do you see now Mama?
Audio download:
09.24.18.VTDigger.Nazerali-Ruddy.mp3- Lilak1's blog
- Sprout
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gg
Sep 20, 2018
This is imaginative and powerful. I hope you didn't mind my putting your narration with it.
What I like most about this is how it takes me so deep in, there is a novel in here, a story with many tendrils.
Thanks so much.