আমার ভবিষ্যতের মেয়ের উদ্দেশ্যে
For My Daughter
by Sarah McMane
“Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your
backbone ought to be.” –Clementine Paddleford
Never play the princess when you can
be the queen:
rule the kingdom, swing a scepter,
wear a crown of gold.
rule the kingdom, swing a scepter,
wear a crown of gold.
Don’t
dance in glass slippers,
crystal carving up your toes—
be a barefoot Amazon instead,
for those shoes will surely shatter on your feet.
crystal carving up your toes—
be a barefoot Amazon instead,
for those shoes will surely shatter on your feet.
Never
wear only pink
when you can strut in crimson red,
sweat in heather grey, and
shimmer in sky blue,
claim the golden sun upon your hair.
when you can strut in crimson red,
sweat in heather grey, and
shimmer in sky blue,
claim the golden sun upon your hair.
Colors
are for everyone,
boys and girls, men and women—
be a verdant garden, the landscape of Versailles,
not a pale primrose blindly pushed aside.
boys and girls, men and women—
be a verdant garden, the landscape of Versailles,
not a pale primrose blindly pushed aside.
Chase
green dragons and one-eyed zombies,
fierce and fiery toothy monsters,
not merely lazy butterflies,
sweet and slow on summer days.
fierce and fiery toothy monsters,
not merely lazy butterflies,
sweet and slow on summer days.
For
you can tame the most brutish beasts
with your wily wits and charm,
and lizard scales feel just as smooth
as gossamer insect wings.
with your wily wits and charm,
and lizard scales feel just as smooth
as gossamer insect wings.
Tramp
muddy through the house in
a purple tutu and cowboy boots.
Have a tea party in your overalls.
Build a fort of birch branches,
a zoo of Legos, a rocketship of
Queen Anne chairs and coverlets,
first stop on the moon.
a purple tutu and cowboy boots.
Have a tea party in your overalls.
Build a fort of birch branches,
a zoo of Legos, a rocketship of
Queen Anne chairs and coverlets,
first stop on the moon.
Dream
of dinosaurs and baby dolls,
bold brontosaurus and bookish Belle,
not Barbie on the runway or
Disney damsels in distress—
you are much too strong to play
the simpering waif.
bold brontosaurus and bookish Belle,
not Barbie on the runway or
Disney damsels in distress—
you are much too strong to play
the simpering waif.
Don a
baseball cap, dance with Daddy,
paint your toenails, climb a cottonwood.
Learn to speak with both your mind and heart.
For the ground beneath will hold you, dear—
know that you are free.
paint your toenails, climb a cottonwood.
Learn to speak with both your mind and heart.
For the ground beneath will hold you, dear—
know that you are free.
Bachhorer surutei 'Abantor' ke 100 te 200 die dilam. eta amar meyeke to poraboi, ar chena jana sokoler songei share korte chai. Osonkhyo dhonyabad Kuntala, eta age porini kakhono.
ReplyDeletebah!ki asambhab bhalo ..amio share korte chai
ReplyDeleteKhub sundor kobita. Amar 3-4 number stanza duto sobtheke bhalo laglo... amar kichhu bandhobider kaan dhore tene ene oi duto dekhate ichchhe korchhe. Golapite ghenna dhoriye dilo!
ReplyDeleteযাক, কবিতাটা সবার ভালো লেগেছে দেখে আমারও খুব ভালো লাগছে।
ReplyDeletedarun kobita kuntala... late comment and late wish... have a peaceful and SAFE 2013.
ReplyDeleteথ্যাংক ইউ সোহিনী, তোমার জন্যও আমার একই কামনা রইল।
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