Authorship - by Rabindranath Tagore

You say that Father writes a lot of books,

but what he writes I don't understand,

he was reading to you all evening, but

could you really make out what he meant ?

What nice stories Mother, you can tell us !

Why can't Father write like that I wonder ?

Did he never hear from his own mother

stories of giant , fairies and princesses ?

Or he has forgotten them all ?

Often when he gets late for his bath , you 

have to call him a hundred times. 

you wait and keep fish dishes warm ,  but he 

keeps on writing and forgets. 

Father only plays at making books.

If ever I go to play in father's room , you 

come and call me , 

"What a naughty child!" 

If I make the slightest noise you say ,"Don't 

you see that father's busy with his books ?" 

what's the fun of writing and writing ? 

When I take up Father's pen or pencil and write 

upon his book , just as he does , 

a-b-c-d-e-f , why do you get cross with me then ? 

You never say a word when Father writes. 

When my father wastes such heaps of paper , 

Mother , you don't seem to mind at all , 

but if I take only one sheet to make a boat with , 

You say , 

"Child , how troublesome you are!" 

Tell me why Mother , tell me why ?

- Rabindranath Tagore