DREAMS

Those beautiful fields far away
The school where kids played and learnt
The city with all cars and buildings
Were only dreams for the little girl

Her brother came home with a school bag on his back
Spoke in English and did math
'You know nothing, stupid girl' he teased
Told her stories of school 'til she cried

Her destiny could be changed,
She thought as she tried to read
The letters were new but she wouldn't give up
She had dreams, which would come true

'Papa, I also want to go to school' she cried
'You're a girl, sit at home' He shouted
She felt her dreams getting shattered
But no, she promised, she won't give up

She left her home with new hopes
With a bag of clothes and some money in hand
While her mother was too busy with her son
To notice her escape from home

She thought she was aware of challenges
She left the village to a new city
Those buildings she dreamt were in front of her
She looked with awe as she entered

The school master asked for her father
'I don't have a father' she simply lied
He denied her an admission
But no, she wouldn't give up

She found herself a place to sleep
Bench of a park became her bed,
Saw some men staring at her
She was scared at once, she wasn't prepared

She hardly knew what a city would be
Yet she was brave to venture out
She faced challenges and here she was
Waiting for a school to take her in

Months passed with no success
Reality was far from the dream
She was forced into many crimes
For money and food she begged and cried

As she prepared for her journey to hell
A kind lady saw her plight
Gave her a home and nurtured her
Sent her to school and became her mother

The girl saw her dreams come true
She became famous and successful
She earned much and gave much to poor
She made many more dreams come true

'She is my daughter! Give her to me!'
A man came and shouted
'She left home when she was 10 '
'We will keep her well, we will let her work' he promised

The parents who never cared for a girl, she knew
Would come for her money when it suited them
Ohh, how much a pain it is to raise a girl
And how easy to take her back!

But how could she leave the mother
Who gave her all she ever wanted
For she was always indebted
To the mother who made her become, not the one who let her go