Just because she's a girl

Sitting on the bench,the little girl was alone,
her face showed how quickly she had grown,
although she was still small and fragile,
after all, she was still a child.

I went up to her and sat by her side,
her innocent eyes opened up wide,
i smiled,and she returned it,
now she seemed more relaxed.

"why arent you playing,dear?",
i asked,pointing to others who were playing in that park,
she shook her head,
"am not allowed to play",she said.

"but why?"i asked,surprised,
she looked up,a confusion appearing in her eyes,
"if i play,then who'll look over my little brothers there?",
she looked in the direction where her brothers played.

"but when do you play then?"i asked,still perplexed,
"i dont,i help my mother cook,",the girl replied,
"and look after my brothers",
there was an innocent pride in those words.

"dont you go to school?",i asked,more interested,
"i do,though my mother doesnt like me getting educated,
but i want to study more,
but thats not possible for sure".

"hey come fast you stupid girl",we heard someone calling,
she jumped in fright and replied,stammering,
"am coming mother,just a minute",
she turned to me and waved,shyly apologetic.

"but why do you do all this?dont you feel sad?",i asked near tears,
she stopped in her tracks hearing my words,
she turned around,and gave a smile so mature,
"thats because am a girl"


I went home that day, disturbed and upset,
I didn’t know why suddenly i was filled with regret,
My little daughter came running up to me,
"Can we go and play mummy?"

I shook my head, unable to say a thing,
For an unknown reason, my heart was grieving,
I don’t know how my daughter knew that I wasn’t happy,
but she said, it’s okay, I'll play with daddy!

Looking back now ,I was a pampered child,
the young daughter, I was never obedient and always wild,
I did whatever I wanted,
and my family always supported.

I was successful, and now i was married and loved,
but thinking about that little girl, my heart moved,
‘coz she simply did what was told to her,
just because she was a girl.

I was happy ,as I was never burdened,
I was happy, as I never sacrificed,
but today I was defeated by this little woman,
who bonded with me for no reason.

The next day I went in search of that girl,
and I found her again, sitting alone,
without preamble, I said "Come with me, I'll help you get whatever you want,
I'll fulfill whatever your demands" 

She was shocked to say the least, to see my sudden outburst,
she stared at me for some time, and said "I can’t come".
"Why can’t you?" I asked angrily, "You still want those who insult you so easily? I'll help you, why don’t you understand,
I’ll do for you whatever I can"

The girl looked at me and asked,
"Will you leave your family if they treat you badly?",
I was stunned had never thought like this,
it was like she had jolted me from my dreams.

Would i leave my husband if he slapped me once?
Would i not forgive when my children ask for forgiveness?
What’s the diff between the girl and me?
Like me, she too loved her family. 

"I was told by my grandma, girls shouldn’t be unforgiving,
it’s in their blood to be caring,
it’s an honor for a girl when she helps her family,
‘coz her help is the one that no one can repay easily"

I drank in this piece of wisdom, coming from this child so young,
I realized though we were far apart yet were wound,
by a thread so delicate but strong,
but my assumptions about this girl were just proven wrong.

She was happy with her family, even though they treated her badly,
maybe she hoped someday they'll be sad,
for all the words they said to her,
but she'll tell them she doesn’t bother.

Her mother, who had been listening all the while,
came running to her child,
she held her in her close, not letting go,
maybe she wanted to say more, but all she said was, “I am so proud of you"