"It Was Just Another Daughter"

I saw Rose this morning
near the chapel, sitting
alone, quiet. Was she praying?
I couldn’t say.
Last Monday
Her baby died.
‘Mummy!’ the baby had cried
all day, in pain.

In pouring rain
Rose ran around, seeking
help. Then, in evening
came Dr Browning.
‘Its Chikun Guniya. Better
go to the hospital’, he told her
and left quickly. Hospital
was a good 30 mile
away. Rose needed a car
But found none. Meanwhile

Her husband slept,
ignoring it all. ‘Let
morning come, will try something’
he had said before going
the bed.

Rose looked in despair
at the baby- her
bundle of joy – was in tears,
suffering. ‘God, please take care!’
said she and sobbed

Morning broke. Rain had stopped.

The sun rose, and birds sang
In the village, the church bell rang

Inside, Away
from the sun the baby lay
still, lifeless. It was all over

Between wails, Rose heard her
husband saying,
‘Now stop crying
It was just another daughter’.

In India, thousands of infants die each year, most of them girls. Often, they die without treatment. As someone who almost reached there and came back, my heart bleeds at such news. Lets join hands in making sure that the world will be as safe a place for every girl as it is for boys now