HAPPY FATHERS DAY BABA !

For my father

 

Baba, we will always be obliged to those countless evenings you sacrificed for us

Carrying us on your frail shoulders whenever road was rough and we were breatheless...

Teaching us, guiding us, spending your leisure time with us every evening...

Making each chapter of History easy to grasp...

Simplifying algebra, trigonometry evening after evening, every evening...

Singing each chapter of Geography for us...

Reciting each poem of English with us...

Getting things done for us...

Spending sleepless nights for us during exams...

Breaking down each time, we gave up...

Shouting with tears of joy when we won...

Wiping away tears of failure from our eyes...

Encouraging us to stand up and fight back...

To defy those people who thought ‘girls are burden’...

Today I want to let you know that I had noticed that shirt of yours...

That shirt which you used to wear every alternate day to work...

And refused to get a new one to save money...

...though we sisters got new clothes for every occasion...

I know why you cycled to work every day in all weathers...

To save the money and get me a new book...

...for our marriage, for our higher studies...

The list is endless...

You always thought about us and never got yourself and Mom a flat or a car...

I could never repay you for what you did for us...

I could never repay you for all the sacrifices you have made and are still making for us...

I feel ashamed of myself that I am unable to share your burden...

Unable to wipe your tears of frustration...

Unable to share your worries...

Unable to make life comfortable for you...

I hope you would forgive me for all the harsh words I had blurted out...

Forgive me Baba; forgive me for the tears I gave in your eyes...

I am sorry for those worry lines over your forehead, gray hairs, empty wallet because of us...

I am sorry for all those headaches, tired soul, tired body...I feel responsible even today...

We may argue today also; like always but deep within our soul, we both know that

I AM YOUR DAUGHTER...

And will forever be...

Author's Note

This is one poem I wanted to write for my father whom we address as �Baba�....because the first word a baby utters is �Mama� and �Baba�.
He is one person who dedicated his entire life for us, me and my sister. He lost his family when he was a kid in a natural disaster in a small village in eastern part of India. He had nobody to provide him comfort of a home or food. He worked hard in fields to earn money to study. He will work hard in the daytime and would study hard in the night and earned scholarship to study further. His persistence paid when he earned his PhD degree in Chemistry and got a coveted job in a prestigious company.
When people used to comment that he has got two girl children and he should be worried, he was undeterred. I am what I am because of him. I have made him cry countless number of times with my sarcastic comments and for that GOD will never forgive me. Because PARENTS = GOD.
And I hurt GOD.
He never expected any returns for his sacrifices. Every day he will come home from office at 5.00pm and will wait for us at 6.00pm on study table. He will encourage me to watch television and take a break when I will be studying for a long time. He will sit by us in all weathers and saved all his leaves (casual) for us so that he can help us prepare for final exams every year. He never got bored, never scolded us for being slow in following his instructions and never hated us if we could not perform well.
He imbibed this faith in me that hard work never goes wasted...
I dedicate this poem to the wonderful person in my life...MY BABA...

Reviews

[Vaishali..^_^]

this is very heartfelt...!a beautiful writing to your dad....!
i clearly understand your feelings related to this writing...!as i myself being a daughter....!love my dad very much...!and thanks him for all the sacrifice he has done for me and will be doing in future....!

he is the one to guide us through out life....!he is the one standing besides us all the time...in bad and good....!he is the one to love us so much...!what we are....is because of our dad...!who does so much for us and will be doing...!his kind nature inspite of our rude behavior.... never scoulding even when we behave the worst...!always being so polite with us...!

great write...i really love it...!it's really amazing...!
^_^

[Irwin]

Lovely poem Pratibha, and worthy sentiments. A Fathers lot is not always a happy one but having children who truly love you makes all the difference.

[Ellen Hammond]

Dear Pratibha, this is such a special tribute to you father. You have been very blessed to have such a devoted "Baba". He has instilled in you, many wonderful values, including real appreciation for all he has given you. He also made sure that you were well educated too. Through this very heartfelt write, you not only show your love and gratitude but also that his efforts were truly NOT in vain. May God bless you, my friend.

[Sean Allen]

Another beautiful poem that makes him real to the reader. You and your sister seem to be lucky to have such a wonderful father.