By Keerthana Venkatesh
Contributing Author for Spark Igniting Minds
A father-daughter relationship has a charm of its own. There’s a deeper sense of conviction that keeps this relationship so strong and secure. I had penned this poem at a time when I was a member of a student team championing the cause of educating people on the ill-effects of female infanticide.
A few of those heart-to-heart conversations with the fathers we interacted with have found their reflection here. But beyond all this, I’ve tried to capture the feeling of security and pride my sister and I have been brought up with, and what we wish to see emulated across the world.
Standing under the huge metal arch
A smile glittered (glowered upon) my face
This was a moment I knew would come
But never with such grace.
The dark, cold alleys, sweaty with moss
Touched my cheek and swept my feet
Combed my hair and gelled my scalp
With a tenderness that tolled me back…
My mother’s fingers would caress my hair
While my child-filled himself with mud
And then suddenly there would be a swish
A bucket of cold water straining my blood…
The strain comes back to throb my brain
Standing at the edge of the altar
The cloth of destiny covering my head
Reminding me of a shame I never feared.
The thought comes back from that gross day
When I saw my little girl soaked in red
With the woman, I married smiling sanctified –
I rid the mother she once had.
The smile deepened on my face
A sweaty glow returned
The ground under me split apart
And my little girl and I walked on.
About Keerthana Venkatesh
Keerthana Venkatesh is a passionate writer with a penchant for positivism via thoughts, actions and alternative therapies.
She has worked on the editorial of some of India’s biggest media houses and as content management and marketing head in various corporates.
An avid traveler and a doting mother, she finds inspiration and the energy of positivism through places, people and her daughter which she showcases in her blog titled "This Short Story"!!!
Featured image sourced from https://pixnio.com/people/father-child-daughter-park-sunset-together-silhouette-childhood
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