The man I once looked up to has failed me
A universal donor who couldn’t save me
His blood flows through my veins
Giving life to my body.
Held my hand and led the way
To leave me feeling astray
Cosseted me, loved me, failed me
All the same.
“میں تم سے پیار کرتا ہوں” became a lie
Inherited my last name, Baluch
Heard stories of the camels we rode
Ancestors who paved the way
The Baluch house already under my name
The ‘legacy’ I must carry
Now considered a burden on my back.
From wanting it all to feeling trapped
Once felt joy now soaks my pillowcase at night
The man I once knew no longer lies behind those eyes.
Hollowness now stares at me
His smile no longer one I mimicked
Hate flows through the blood I received from him
The man I once looked up to has failed me.
Something wrong with this poem?
Replies are closed for this poem.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, 24/7. Crisis Text Line — text HELLO to 741741.
▾ This Poem's Voice
Your Poem's Voice
Deeply personal family trauma; inheritance as metaphor but grounded in autobiographical pain.
Multiple layered ideas: legacy, betrayal, inherited identity, disillusionment packed densely.
Strongly negative; grief, hate, disappointment, hollowness dominate throughout.
Emotional intensity builds; enjambment and internal turmoil create kinetic tension.
Approximately 28 lines; falls in 16-30 range.
Rich metaphors: blood/inheritance, burden, hollowness; Urdu phrase; ancestral imagery.
Pure lyric internal monologue; introspective voice examining personal emotional landscape.
Comments (0)
Comments are closed for this poem.