I never asked you to
Bear me and clap hands
Hoping I would look towards you
While all the time you turned around
Looking at Sujata auntie’s child
Responding much quicker than I did.
Bear me and clap hands
Hoping I would look towards you
While all the time you turned around
Looking at Sujata auntie’s child
Responding much quicker than I did.
I never asked to be born
So that you could shelve
The plans that you had made
If it were a daughter
And then underline the words
“IFS” and “Tennis star” in red
And then again in green and black.
I never asked to enter this earth
So that you can show me off
To all those who entered your house
And in their eagerness mentioned
How their son won the arts contest.
And then enroll me in a nearby arts class.
I never asked to live in this world
Where an education is time-bound
And not a stairway into the boundless,
Where being humane is never taught
By teachers and parents who call
Themselves well-wishers and human
Where an education is time-bound
And not a stairway into the boundless,
Where being humane is never taught
By teachers and parents who call
Themselves well-wishers and human
I never asked for this life
Where I will be counted in terms
Of strengths and weaknesses
And finally tallied into the sum of
A model student or someone who was
What your son should never become.
I never asked for all of this
I am not here for you –
You are here for me
To teach me how
I could be there for others.
If you can’t help me enjoy this world
If you can’t help me be warm in the skin you gave
If you can’t open up this world for me
Because my hands are too small
And I instinctively love you
Liking it when you place
Your hands on mine and are in
Awe that I moved the heavy door.
If you can’t introduce me to
What living and loving is all about;
If you don’t know why you want
To give me life,
Then don’t,
Please don’t,
Don’t.
Like A Feather... 
Heartfelt. And, to the reader, heartrending. The picture is perfect to the post.
Moving poem, in spite (or rather because) of its simplicity. But I did not quite like the IFS part – the link to Wikipedia even more to my dislike! A more common example would have made me happy! 🙂
Dear P,🙂 Glad you liked the pic too…Dear A,😀 My mother wanted me to be an IFS officer since I was born!!! Anyway, I had to keep the voice simple in order to reflect the mind of a 10 year old.
Vry nice. Tum bhi ‘parent olympics’ ke shikar ho!! You never hear people say about their kids.. They are average kids, but very affectionate, kind and loving and will find a place in soceity and hopefully be gainfully employed. And I am always there for them..
Beautiful – looks to be coming from heart… 🙂
Dear M,🙂Dear S,Not sure about the heart part… 🙂
its very beautiful… and heart rending 😦