Tribute

It took me years to realize
Who I was in my father’s eyes
The empowered woman that I am today
Would not have been without the way
I was raised by my father in a society
That glorified tradition and propriety
He taught me to do what my heart desired
He was ready to take any criticism that was fired
Against my choices that unconventional appeared
Because of him, exploring new grounds I have never feared

He lowered the peaks he wanted to climb
But when it came to ambition mine
He gave me the courage to aim for the skies
He always wiped away disappointment from my eyes

A guiding light in my life he has been
An omnipresent shoulder to lean
On- his greatest gift to me would be
The fact that he believed in me.