Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

I know that you’re taking my sisters with you

My brothers, my uncles, and my baby Asghar too

Tell me why am I being abandoned? I beg you

In this barren house, O’ father what shall I do?

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

You haven’t left yet but I can see my life going dark

You haven’t left yet, but my world is now falling apart

You haven’t left yet, then why do these nightmares start

You haven’t left yet, then why does this pain crush my heart?

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

Like Ruqayya, you know only on your chest can I sleep

Once you are away, tell me how would I sleep?

The coldness of this house now on me creeps

This wound of you departing makes me weep

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

My beloved brother Asghar is now leaving me too

By taking my Akbar, death you’re putting me through

O’ Father, to convince you, who should I turn to?

Your Sughra will not live long, Father I am telling you.

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

Please look at me, how sick your Sughra is

In this condition, how can you leave her like this?

I’ll not bother you at all, please just let me join

If you want, I’ll be with the servants, I promise

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

  

Are you not letting me come because I am sick?

I will take my medicines on my own, I promise

Say you’ll take me too, and my sickness will dismiss

My health shall only get worse, if you leave me like this.

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

These ladies bid me farewell like I am a stranger

Like passing winds they come and say good-byes

Why isn’t anyone looking me in my eyes?

What is my sin, O’ Mother at least you reply!

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

You say I resemble my grandmother Zahra

And that great tragedies in her life befell her

And that greater pain lies ahead in Karbala

But if I’m her image, why do you now abandon her?

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

Look at my little Asghar, he isn’t leaving my arms

Let him stay with me, I’ll protect him from all harms

He has tightened his fist on my forearms

His sobbing and hiccups now in my ear storms

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

 

I will swallow my pain, in this house I’ll remain

Wipe your tearing eyes father, now I will never complain

From childhood, you’ve poured love on me like rain

I’ll not stop you from going nor will ever ask again

 

   Why do you leave me here alone father?

   What is my sin? Am I not your daughter?

By Isha Haider