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 ...

[Laha]

Inspiring. The things we could do with more people like you.

[Dinesh Sairam]

Tiruchirapalli, India? That sounds awfully familiar :) :)

[Amy]

I love this poem every bit of it had me wanting to read more.
very beautiful I love it!!!!
touching and hopeful. well penned

[Cafe Reader]

My partner and I have a ten year old 'daughter' in Mexico. This hits very close to home. Very tender.

[Ria Benthil]

It takes potency and beauty for me to be attached to the poem on the personal level. The love of a father is woven into every word; an affection that is does not require biological bonds but rather emotional tethers. I especially can relate to this poem because I am an adopted child myself even though I was taken in by my aunt and uncle. From this connection, I can understand the similarity of the vital importance adoption centers are. The poem appeared to be as a devotion letter to Asha, and I hope she is able to read it one day. Despite the length of this review, but I thought the poem deserved a light approach of concerning the personal aspect. The poem certainly diffused empathy for its viewers.

[Stef Outsiders]

You've shown generosity to a little girl who needed love that no other person were willing to give... a touching poem! But a wonderful life you giving your daughter!

[jazmin]

aww, that was beauitful. You sound like a remarkable father :)

[em]

- you echo - in the light in Asha's eyes - as she calls out - to her "appa" - i'm sure - and - with this piece - and with your generosity - i don't think - even you fathom - the magnitude - and the intensity - of the difference you have made -
- i am a girl child - of India - i had opportunities and education - and - i cannot tell you enough - how aware of - and how grateful for - that i am - because - around me - not only in my country - but the world over - i witness - and appreciate - how very tough life is - for the women of the world -
- my girl - when i find and adopt her - will be named - nayantara - the light of one's eyes - :) - and i know - that she - will be so grateful - just like i am - for the purity and generosity - the sensitivity and beauty - and the compassion and grace - that you offer - to asha - to many like her - who take courage and hope - from you - and carry it forward - in every step they take -
- when you meet Asha - not if but when - i know - that she will tell you - through her eyes - just what you have done for her - god bless you - and god bless her - serah's right - you really are - a remarkable father -

[Truman S. Booth]

This is a gorgeous, touching poem. Those types of programs always give me hope for the world. I wish I could more fully express how much I loved this poem, but my mind and fingers aren't cooperating very well today. It is beautiful nonetheless. Well done.

[Jeff]

Great work.