Mother, Ma, Ummi, Ibu

Mother,
When I was one,

I woke you up countless nights,

Hours I kept you awake, only to feed me,

and only to see me go back to sleep soundly,

Not a word of 'thank you' from me.
Mum,

When I was five,

I wet my bed,

To say every night would be hyperbolic 

but to count them was near impossible.

You washed my sheets, my clothes, and you clean me.

Not a sound of sighing from you.

When I was thirteen,

I couldn't count the times I've lied to you,

Too many, and the guilt then was merely present,

Not a word of 'sorry' from me.
Ummi,

Seventeen was it?

I got my grades for my finals,

I finally graduated high school,

I watched you smile, a slight joy on your face,

I know, we were in hard times then,

I know, a child with good grades meant very little to you,

T'was never a child who would suit up everyday,

and sit in leather chairs, giving orders with a finger, that you desire.

But one who would take you by the hand, everyday.

And that someday--someday, all the way to the castles in Heaven.
One, who would grow to be kind, to be gentle, to be truthful,
to be close to Him.

Ma,
If I live to sixty,
Giving you everyday of my life will not be enough,
to repay you, not even for a single breath you breathed out,
to bring me to this world.
My days are approaching twenty,
I'm sorry I had to leave for a while,
I wish to someday spend my days with you again,
Ibu,
You've given me so much,
million to nil, if I could count,
but all I've presented to you were misbehavior, problems, issues.
You've cherished me with all your love,
not any less than to us siblings,
fair and just, sufficient loving.
Thank you,
I'm sorry,
I love you.

-Addeen