Someone else's daughter

She is perplexed to see, my diplomas and degrees, talent and dreams, gathering dust in musty, dog-eared folders...

Aalia Suleman March 21, 2013
My daughter is a young lady now,

A ‘woman of the time’,

Geared up to conquer the world.

 

With all the support and confidence,

Of her family,

And above all,

Her father,

Behind her.

 

Her questions have also matured,

She is perplexed to see,

My diplomas and degrees,

Talent and dreams,

Gathering dust in musty, dog-eared folders,

Packed away in dusty, yellowing, cardboard boxes;

A graveyard of evidence,

That I, too, was a woman of my time.

 

She is confused at my non-existent existence,

An email-less, Facebook-less, cell-phone-less, near-servile existence.

 

‘My father is the best man in the world’,

She proclaims proudly,

Then questions,

The different boundaries,

That define the identities,

Of two women,

In the same house.

 

I know I can put an end,

To all her questions,

With just one statement,

She is still not mature enough,

To comprehend,

The abysmal depth,

Of my answer.

 

It requires a wisdom

Beyond her callow years,

That it is because,

I am someone else’s daughter.

 

Read more by Aalia here
WRITTEN BY:
Aalia Suleman A freelance writer and poet who is keenly interested in the status of women in 21st century Pakistan. Her writing also zones in on Pakistan's new social and political status on a redefined global chessboard. She has a masters degree in English Literature and blogs and invites debates at 'Socio-politically Pakistani'. She tweets @aaliasuleman (https://twitter.com/aaliasuleman)
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (25)

Sumaiya Hasan | 10 years ago | Reply the absolute truth!
Sadia | 10 years ago | Reply The existent of today would be the non-existent of tomorrow. Its a vicious cycle. What you can change is the way your son treats someone else's daughter. Atleast one girl you know would remain existent throughout her life span.
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