Learning

The wind blew stong against the open windows of the house, banging them against their frames.
Thunder rolled by and lighting struck, lighting whole streets as in daylight.
The little boy was very afraid, of the sudden light and noise,
he scampered to his mothers bed, to hide in her comfort and her warmth.

"What is it, my dear child?", she asked, "what nightmares awaken thee?"
Another roar of thunder struck, and the little child snuggled closer,
the mother smiled and put a comforting arm around the little boy's shoulder,
she waited patiently for him to calm down, nor did she move until she heard his sleeping breath,
slowly, so as not to awaken him, she said to herself, "you will learn my child, you will learn".

The birds sang happily in their nests, not a care in the world had they,
but the young lad was agitated, today you see, was his examination date,
he would not eat, he would not sit, nought but pace about,
making muddy tracks all over the floor, which the maid has just swobbed.
He stopped in mid step, as a shadow came over him,
then suddenly he was wrapped in a familiar arms, their warm fingers soothing him,
he calmed down after some time, and ate his breakfast well,
today you see, was a very important exam, and if he failed, his life would be hell.
She waited patiently for him to calm down, nor did she speak until he was on his way,
slowly, she murmured to herself, "you will learn my child, you will learn".

The young man smoothed his overgrown hair and sat down to have a chat,
"these are important years for you my son, this year you will be in the twelfth"
with an uneasy smile and careless gesture the young man went on his way,
it would be his last day at school, after which would come his life, his way,
"im finally free", he thought, "at last, no more childish games"
"im a man now", he thought, "and i'll have my way",
"no longer need i you comfort mother, i'll be going away"
She smiled patiently at him, not a tear shed she,
she said to herself, in her infinite wisdom," you will learn my child, you will learn"

He sat down in a smoky haze, tendrils of smoke billowing from his lips,
he took a deep puff, and enjoyed it as it warmed him,
he shouldnt do it, he knew, but then a different part of him,
rebelled against common wisdom, he knew it would be the death of him.
Sadly he watched, as his friends moved away, to their own life, and successes,
"what have i done so far", he thought, "where is my way?"
he knew he was lost, abandoned by his friends, he knew he had chosen the wrong way,
"i should have passed that examination", he said, "my friends led me astray".

With sure steps, he walked back home, his house, where he had grown and played,
back when life was simpler, and bitter thoughts and anger seemed so far away,
he saw his mother at the steps, his heart skipped a beat,
"will she take me back?", he thought, "his heart skipped a beat".
"From now on mother, i've changed my life, no longer will i foolishly follow"
"my friends have left me, and i'm alone and i find obstacles in my way"
"help me mother, to become a man, teach me right form wrong"
"so that in the future, i may stand proud and call myself a man"
"i thought you were out to control my life, and i felt i needed to push away"
"following others, the path of freedom i sought, only to find that was not the way"
"i have realized how foolish i was, to judge you with such an unfair hand"
"all you wanted was to awaken within me, what i already had to become a man"
"heedlessly i sought from outside, what was within all along"
"foolishly i pushed those who were trying to show me, all along"

She smiled patiently at him, and enfolded him in her loving embrance,
not a word said she, both mother and child communicated unspoken,
emotions of love held sway.
In her boundless intelligence, she said to herself, "you have learnt, my child, you have learnt"