Move
House. What is it about?
From the day we are born
We have to change our abode
From the placenta we are torn
Then in a cot we are ‘stored’
First, in a pram we are pushed
By night we move to a bed
Then suddenly, we may be rushed
To a little cot instead
Then with family in a little hut
It’s the best we can afford
Then, to school few hours but
It’s also a temporary abode
To uni we go, in our late teens
So to the hostel we must move
That’s provided one has the means
To get into this new groove
The very first home of our own
Is hardly more than a shed
That’s only till the kids have grown
We’ll soon need to think ahead
Now a ‘two- up, two- down’ semi
Will just do, for a few years
Till our boy, good old ‘Sammy’
Finally leaves home in tears
Yes he’s moved to live with wife
And now there are more to feed
Another move? Sure! That’s life
They do need three rooms indeed!
From our old home, we must move
As children now have flown the nest
We have nothing more to prove
Just our weary bones to rest
The final move, it could be rough
Pearly Gates are not for all
Of Brownie points, have I enough?
That’s surely my downfall!
By Zita Perera Subasinghe
Note: Why this poem? A friend was moving
house recently and his tone and manner made me realise what a stress it was for
their family. It made me think ‘yes we do this all the time in our lives and we
take for granted that’s how it should be. Can we have any constancy amidst all
this?’ I suppose the ‘inner you’ remains
the same in relation to the universe as we are a just a spec in it. This
thought could make it all bearable.
A lot depends on at what stage in your life you decide to move. Most people want to settle down in one place while they are still young. To them, moving in late life is simply unthinkable. But to some, age or stage in life does not matter. Some even think nothing of moving to an apartment in a high rise building like a condo. However, the majority feel that there are many disadvantages in living in such an apartment. When the children have moved out and only the old couple is left, downsizing is not a bad idea. Although we might have our preferences, ultimately, it is one's wish that matters.
ReplyDeleteYou are quite right, Lucky! I often wonder how our people manage to live in those condominiums. I suppose a time comes when one lives within the confines of one's mind. One thinks of it as a Universe of its own, where one is self sufficient and nothing outside matters. I am coming to this stage myself! Zita
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ReplyDeleteI love your poems written with such clarity and feeling.
MOVING? Tell me about it !! We have just had a move. The stress nearly finished me off. Dealing with solicitors, vendors and buyers is a nightmare. I am now happily settled in my new home, reconnected with old friends, joined new forums and groups and have entered a new and interesting phase of life. The old house is now a distant memory but a good one. I have broken the strings of attachment to the old to experience the present. Que Sera Sera
That's the beauty of it, Nihal! All the pain, separation, old views, old neighbours are just a distant memory once you settle down as you have done. And you feel quite at home. That's because what really matters is what is within your own mind, that's what I think, even if it is a bit far fetched rationalising to make oneself happy! Thanks for your comment Nihal! From Zita
DeleteNothing to add to ND's and Zita's astute observations. I think life is a series of experiences, events, occurrences and some are pleasant while others are not so, and a gradient in between. The important thing in my view is to observe how the "same" event can affect people very differently and this is mainly because the subjective experience is very dependent on the attitude and state of mind of the affected person. A person who loses a £100 pound can just shrug it off and move on without too much distress or get into a state of panic or depression. In other words, "it takes two to tango" ( the event and the affected). Throw water at a person and the recipient could get wet or remain dry wearing a raincoat. We don't always have that choice but quite often we do and to me the right attitude is very important in dealing with goo,d (and bad experiences), of any type;moving house, illness, misfortune etc. It may not negate completely but could blunt the effect considerably. There! That is my two cents worth, a person who has had his fair share of bad experiences (don't dwell on them) and good ones (rejoice and feel content).
ReplyDeleteZita, I am fascinated by the delightful little poems you write on just about any subject-you are so talented.
ReplyDeleteI know that poetry,like music springs from the very depths of one's soul when there is an aptitude for it-
I admire you for making the time to share your special gift with us. Hope "Pain" has waved you Good-Bye forever and you are ready to skip! cheers-RohiniAna
I am blushing now, Rohini! I think you and others in our batch have your own great talents. Thanks for appreciating my humble efforts. I enjoy reading your contributions as you have great insight into life. And I am always looking out for contributions from our other highly talented batch-mates. I have hope that suddenly we'll see a 'shower' of beautiful writings! Friends, don't make us wait too long!
Deletefrom Zita
That was great piece of Poetry.
ReplyDeleteHow di you know that we had moved home that many times???.......It really reflect our life.
Since qualifying I moved house 3 times. Since marraige ... then it has been it has been a case of uprooting and moving .... in total 9 times in England, Scotland (Aberdeen & Dundee) & NZ and back to Dundee ... in search of employment and/or good Schools(as private education was totally abhorrent to our (-- my Wife's and my) Socialist views. So, you could just imagine the upheaval?? Now we have a house full of 'things' that we could hardly stretch our limbs, so as to say!!
The 'KIDS' although they have their own places want to preserve their rooms for "when they come/visit home wants their familiar surroundings". It is like a 'Black Hole' --- nothing leaves their rooms!!! Less said the better and life goes on, in its merry old way........!!
Kindest regards to all.
Razaque a Socialist?? Whatever next? The man descended from aristocracy and owned half if not the whole of the island of Penang. A Malay Prince in the making.
DeleteCertainly ND I am not a banner or card carrying Socialist. I consider myself a better socialist than Lennin, Starlin, Or Gorberchov as I am a Socialist at heart and in practice. I keep what I have done or donated a secret.
DeleteAs for owning whole of Penang or half of it, may tell you that we do not own even a grain of sand from that good place, but only the GENES.
As for the Aristocracy, when I go/went for blood tests or blood donations, I did notice a tinge of purple/blue in my blood. That speaks for it all-- I suppose!!!!!.
So my dear pal ND, you are only about 0.0001% corrects in your assertions !!!
I wish ND, that we could meet sometime and have good jaw over a glass of 'Barley Water'
'Slangie var'---- Cheers.
On the positive side, Razaque,Nihal, Mahen, look at the wealth of experience, the variety of people you met and all the new things you learned by this very painful process of moving! Looking back don't you think, you wouldn't change it even if you could? I know it's 'water under the bridge' as they say and we are standing on that bridge and observing life, and this is the best pastime. Zita
DeleteDear Zita, I enjoyed your poem. I have moved house a few times. From Wellawatte to Karapitiya in 1980. From Karapitiya to Nugegoda in 1991. From Nugegoda to Rajagiriya in 2015. Except for the last it was with the whole family. Fortunately in Sri Lanka, the only chore was moving the furniture; no bother with solicitors
ReplyDeleteSanath
Sanath, I find you are amazing the way you have put up with the various house moves you've had to put up with. When we met you in London, you talked about them in a light hearted manner adding bits of fun things, but no one will underestimate the upheaval it causes. Lucky wrote a book about his experiences and we so enjoyed reading it. But it can't have been easy. It never is easy to up sticks, even though we are like nomads. Zita
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