The onus of the girl child
there being a push-off
than father hating her
for no reason whatsoever.
The girl born suffers all through
being cursed by the father
held with affection by the mother
not openly but in the inner heart.
She grows up with the years
second to her brother
who gets all the goodies
she being happy with the remains.
The boy goes to school
no matter he studies or not
the girl is sent to the primary
then drops out considering the family’s poverty.
The girl shares all the responsibilities
the years when she has to play
she spends doing household chores
even goes out to do domestic work.
The little salary she earns
adds to the family’s sustenance
with the father always half drunk
and the mother toiling in the sun.
With little education and innocence
she gets married at a tender age
bears the yoke of marriage
never would her husband share.
Pity is the girl’s life slogging and working
never could she rest for a single day
with the child on her way
praying that she not give birth to a girl.
Meenas Poems 