Children: From pride to oblivion

By killing their emotions, those who raised their children, by speaking softly, those who taught them to speak, those same children taught them to keep quiet in a loud voice.

Those who used to boast about introducing their children everywhere, those same children felt ashamed to introduce them. Every joy of theirs was incomplete without their children, the glow of their happiness faded without them, those same children were the first to exclude them from their happiness, and they felt a lack of joy in their presence.

Those who used to rush to the city at the slightest illness of their children, those same children brought them back to the village when they fell ill. Those who bought the most expensive things for their children, those same children gave them the cheapest medicines.

Those who spent money like water for their children, Those same children left them penniless for the sake of money. Those who took pride in their children during their youth, Those same children stole the light of their life and made it dull. The ones who didn’t let a single tear drop fall from their children’s eyes, Those same children brought rivers of tears to theirs.

The ones who stayed awake all night at their children’s bedside during a fever, Those same children stayed unaware of their parents' illness. I don’t know what kind of hearts God gave them— The ones who trembled at the slightest pain of their children, Those same children remained indifferent to their parents’ suffering.

The ones who taught their children to walk by holding their fingers, Those same children tried to control them like puppets.

The ones who fed their children before eating themselves, Those same children gave them leftovers after finishing their own meals.

The ones who longed to hear their children’s voices, Those same children complained that their parents’ voices were harsh.

The ones who panicked at the sound of their children crying, Those same children complained of headaches from their parents’ sobbing.

The ones who started their day by seeing their children’s faces, Those same children found their parents’ faces bothersome.

The ones who endured every tantrum of their children, Those same children dismissed their parents' pain as tantrums.

The ones who sang lullabies to put their children to sleep, Those same children silenced them with harsh words and curses.

The ones who stayed awake at night for their children’s peace, Those same children slept peacefully, forgetting their parents’ worries.

The ones who stood at the door waiting when their children were late, Those same children never turned back to look at them.

The ones who stood by their children in every difficulty, Those same children left them alone in their times of trouble.

The ones who taught their children to walk by holding their hands in childhood, Those same children left their parents’ hands in old age.

The ones who taught their children to shed tears, Those same children taught their parents to swallow their tears in pain.

The ones who never tired of carrying their children on their shoulders, Those same children changed shoulders while taking them on their final walk.

The ones who gave their children a name in this world, Those same children left them nameless in the world.

The ones they loved the most in their lives, Those same children cremated them in the end.