A Poem For My Daughter Poem by Bharati Nayak
A Poem For My Daughter
No,
I won't read your poems
Sulked my teenage daughter
Why your poems
Tell only of unhappiness
Have you not felt
Our love for you?
Oh Yes
I have seen
How my children protect me
Like a fort
If they see me hurt
Then why I write
Poem after poem
That speaks about rain
I tried to explain
What I write
Is not my story only
I have seen
My mother, sisters and aunts
Wiping their tears
silently by their Anchals
I have seen
Dolly, Milly, Shelly
Whose fathers
Arrange their marriage
On their way to a market
They do not care
If the girls die
By hanging or burning
Some die
Without leaving a trace
My daughter did not agree
Said
You have seen only
Dolly, Mily, Shelly
And girls who had no names
Look at me
I am not one among them
I am Pragyan(Wisdom)
I am Pallabi(leaves)
I am dream
I am light
One day, like Kalpana Chawla
I will soar into space
I will decorate
My ten corners
With colors of
My dreams.
hi, bharati! this is the second (or third?) time i've read this poem. there are cultural references here i'm not familiar with. what i do get and appreciate is the way you render your daughter's words, the opening lines; the words themselves and the tone are believable. and with you i hope the best for your daughter. few or none of us is brought up in a vacuum with no cultural influences. but what to keep and what dispense with? hoping for a world where all can respect us and the choices we make, glen
Thank you Glen Kappy for your appreciation of my poem.It is my great pleasure to know that you have read this poem for second and third times.Yes.it must be difficult for Western people to understand this poem because of the wide cultural difference between East and West.My poem refers to position of women in Indian society.Though society has changed a lot.still I do not believe 'the patriarchal mindset has changed much.Here women have little independence upon the decisions over their own life. Sons are preferred over daughters.While parents are ready to spend in sons' education, they hesitate to educate daughters.In many cases they fear that if daughter is highly educated, they may not find a suitable groom for her.Daughters are seen as burden upon parents because parents have to spend huge amount to give dowry to daughter's in -laws at the time of her marriage.Here love-marriage is a strict no no.Loving some one before marriage is a stigma.Because some parents can not give dowry as demanded by in-laws, many marriages break, many brides are tortured and many commit suicides.This is the grim picture of our society. When girls are deprived of education, they can not get employment and their condition becomes precarious.Many of my poems express the condition of women of Indian society.
Very beautiful poem.....perfect picture of mother and daughter relationship... A Dreamful life affection...and aspirations...
The daughter urges for joy and not for grief through poetic expression. There is no need to hide face at each moment. Life is cheerful. Tear falls from her eyes but we can make a choice of transformation of grief into happiness. A brilliant and excellent poem is very well penned..Revisiting this poem we feel glad.10
Liked the poem, liked the portrait made by your daughter and liked her thoughts as well.
Thank you so much Akhtar Jawadji.You have a very kind heart and so are your words I am deeply obliged.
Your daughter is a talented artist! I have only sons, so I really enjoy reading poems about mothers and their daughters and the legacy of women. As a female poet, you've added your voice to the life of women that often is left silent. By being award of the challenges of being a woman, you've raised a strong one with a strong voice. Beautiful writing. Thanks for sharing.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Delivering Poems Around The World
Poems are the property of their respective owners. All information has been reproduced here for educational and informational purposes to benefit site visitors, and is provided at no charge...
11/20/2025 5:20:53 AM # 1.0.0
colors and dreams are there with the girls, let her measure the sky.
Let her measure the sky- - -Thank you for your kind comments.