Growing Up Without You, Daddy Poem by Entrush Chakma

A boy so young, just seven years old
Lost his father, his heart turned cold
A pain so deep, a wound so wide
Left with tears, and a sorrow inside

Memories of laughter, of joy and of play
Now echoes of a bygone day
He remembers his father's loving face,
And the words he spoke, in a gentle pace.

After his father's passing, he had a dream where his father appeared to him and said:
'Son, don't consume bad things that can harm your life.'
'Don't do work that society can't abide.'
'Be a good person, and always stand with pride.'

He remembers these words, every single day,
And tries to live up, to his father's way.
He grows up strong, but with a scar,
A reminder of who's not there.

Years pass by, and he reaches Class 10,
A milestone achieved, but his father's not there to see him win.
He wonders what could have been,
If his father were here, to share in his glee.

After Class 10 result, he felt a sense of pride,
Remained his father, how happy he would be inside.
He thought, 'Father, I've made you proud, I know',
And tears of joy, began to flow.

He felt his father's presence, in that moment so bright.
A sense of approval, that shone like a light.
He knew his father, was smiling down on him.
Feeling proud, of the person he'd become within.

Though his father's gone, his memory stays.
A bittersweet reminder of happier days.
The boy becomes a man, with a heart so bold.
But deep inside, a piece of him, forever cold.

He follows his father's advice, every step of the way.
And tries to make him proud, every single day.
And though he's not here, his legacy remains.
A guiding light, that shines through the pain.