My Daughter

A small child in Tiruchirapalli, India
Called me "Dad";
Even though I am only twenty five
And my girlfriend & I are happy
With our relationship
At where it stands.

To be a father,
You don't need to marry
And Conceive a child.

Instead you can simply visit www.savegirlchild.org
And donate 10 dollars a month;
And simply with that
You can become a father
The careholder of a little child
Across borders
Millions of miles away
In a small village at the middle of nowhere.

Her name is "Asha"
It means hope,
It means she can put behind her dungy days
Sleeping on pavements , crying out loud
Without even an ounce of "roti" and a cup of warm milk
Unbeknownst of her drunk 'father'
Whose one dark whim
In a shady, autumn night
With a hapless and ill fated teenager of barely fifteen years
Created her.

She is five years old now,
They are teaching her Hindi & Malayalam
And a little bit of English.
So that she can stand up
And outpour words and letter in a journal
Fill the pages with light and hope.
She might once write a letter to me as well.

They say she can say "Appa" now
Which means father.
They have told her of me.
I wonder what goes across her little, troubled mind
How she relates to father
Unseen and Unheard
A man who sends few green colored papers to take care of her.

I want to meet "Asha",
Talk to her
Look at her innocent, deep black eyes
And smudgy nose
And call her "Beti".
Run with her in the dusty village road
Which heads to the blue mountains
Peek into her classroom from the window
And watch her learn and grow.
Tell her stories of Rapunzel and Hans Christian Andersen
And how fairy tales are real.

I want to answer all her questions
That visits her mind and tell her how she is so special.
I want to watch her grow every moment
And to see her transformation from a tiny little bud
To a wonderful flower.

I wait for the time
When her hands will hold a pen
And write a letter
Which would look something like this
" Dear Papa,
Wherever you are,
Whatever you do,
I can feel the shower of love and blessings
That is on me always
Because of you.
I have no complaints,
I have no issues.
I have no doubts
For I from the bottom of my heart
Know that I love you
And that you love me too"

She could one day be a Doctor
Or an Engineer
Transform lives of people
Near and About her.

But I feel she will be a Poet
Who would write
Use free , liberated verses
To fight and strive
Against the bitter sweet world
Make it better
Fill it with hope
For more "Asha's".

Whatever she does,
I know my "Asha"
Will make me proud
One day. Someday.



© Nothing Personal. December 21, 2010.

Reviews

[.]

. next year ... i will go and visit her for you ... 99% ... and this message is critical for the anthology ... thank you for this ... (as you know i am freezing the content on thursday so this really helps) ... btw, you are a remarkable father ...

[YouoweYoupay]

I learned today, that you can show you are a loving parent, even when there are a few oceans filling inbetween you and your child. Thank you for the beautiful, gentle rain of words.

-youoweyoupay

[Dakota]

The true meaning of fatherhood is clear and true in your words. I pray for your "Asha" and the many like her. Praying is all I can do, bless you for being able to do more. :o)

[Poetic Beauty]

This is an amazing poem about trying to help someone whom you never met. the hopeful thoughts and dreams for this little girl come shining through. Hopefully one day you can go meet this special little girl and see all the amazing things she has accomplished in such a short time. This is a happy feel good poem that made me smile. This shows that humanity is indeed still alive in the heart of man!

[Bette]

very sweet

[Liza]

interesting take on fatherhood....though one can help conceive a child - the true father is one that shares his resources, love and attention

[JulieNorell]

This is so sweeeeet! The love of a father, no matter how far away he is :) Very sweet!

[Mauricio Montoya]

good writing.

[Sarusai Hiryu]

Certainly the best you've done so far.
I don't generally enjoy free verse ... This is one of the very few poems in it that I found moving and interesting

[Christy Sargent]

NP...thank you for this beautiful and very well written love letter. This letter filled with love for your precious, darling daughter. May her future be everything you have so eloquently written about and hoped for in this dear, dear poem. Your thoughts and your writing are a great inspiration and, yes, this piece of love...your love for your daughter...needs to be shared further. Thank you very much.

[DeViouS]

Good writing.