From the day you start to breathe
You are given this title
'A Girl'
You learn to walk, you learn to talk
Plus so much more...To greet, to cook, to wash, to clean
All duties and all chores
You're trained to face the "real world"
The one that lies beyond your home
Trained to accept someone else's life
Taught to call it your own
You bloom every day embracing beauty and grace
Deep red cheeks, sparkling eyes
With a desire to see the world
A longing it fails to hide
Like a fly drawn to honey
Men soon start to swarm
Infatuated by that glamour and beauty
Longing for love so warm
Marriage proposals come in bulk
And they give away the daughter
The one they brought up and refined
Given away like a lamb for slaughter
You leave behind your family
To start a new one of your own
But you're new wherever you are
So most likely you feel alone
Puberty, periods, pregnancy
You bear and go through it all
"Women can't handle the slightest pain" they say
Because well, you're a girl
The deep red cheeks lose color
But the sparkling eyes still shine
A small bump on your stomach
Soon turns into a baby, so divine
A cry is heard, you see your baby,
And emotions start to swirl
They hand her to you and stamp the title
Congratulations, it's a girl!
Shambhavi is a Class 12 student studying in St Mary's Higher Secondary School in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur.
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