A Teacher's Reflection Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

I am greater than your mother
I have taught you more than she did;
She has only made you hold a pencil
and coaxed you to scribble the a, b, c's
but I have persuaded you to write
miles and miles of sentences;
I have made you to read volumes of pages
while she might have told you
only a few bed-time stories;
she must have taught you to add and to subtract
but I taught you of multiplication and division
that enabled you to make efficient calculations;
I have taught you History to enlighten you of the past
so that you will be brave to face any enemy or friend;
I have taught you Geography so that you travel the World
and never get lost, though any city you may wander away;
I have taught you Sciences so that you can enrich
your future by a noble profession you may choose;
if your mother provided you with basic needs and necessities
I supplied you with knowledge you so required;
I did my duty towards you,
I imparted the education you sought
without holding anything back;
So, what is my value as your teacher?
Am I not greater than your mother?
The student replied- " No, you cannot be',
If I was not born out of my mother
how would I be your student?
if I was not inspired by her womb
to call out the words- ma, ma
how would I have learnt to speak?
Out of her, has my quest begun
though from you I have strengthened my mind,
it is my mother who will stand by me
through all my hails and hurdles.
O' Teacher, though grateful I ought to be to you
more valuable than her you just cannot be
for I have been your student for only a few years
but my mother's child I will forever be.