A Woman's woe

My father was sad when I was born
I was a new entrant into the family unknown
My grandma was shouting at my mother at high tone
Dreams of my father seemed blown


My mother was always in tear
I kept clinging to her in great fear
She bathed me, dressed me, an oiled my hair
On her part she was totally fair


My father never loved me at all
Because I was a girl after all
I was kept confined inside the four walls
I was never allowed a stroll


One day I said, mother, I want to play
 She told me to go but to come without delay
With my tiny hands I made two dolls out of clay
And then to dry them in the sun I had to lay


In a day or two they became hard
They looked standing like guard
With great joy I declared
Hearing it my father beat me hard

I wept, wept and wept in the room
Where my brother was crushing mushroom
To clean, my father gave him a broom
My father kept on working on loom

I wept inside till the dead of the night
My mother came happily and told me to fight
She said the time has come to gain liberty and right
Our time has come to lead the world with pride
Now the cruel father was in much fright


                                           ______________Sohrab Alam Ansari