Before I saw the morning sky,
Before I learned to laugh or cry,
I floated where love should begin,
A tiny heartbeat safe within.
I am not a burden to bear,
Nor just another soul to spare.
I am a dream with wings to fly,
A thousand stars within my sky.
Let me dance in golden light,
Let me chase the bright butterflies.
Let me call you “mom” and “dad”,
Fill your days with joy you have had.
I could be the hand that heals,
The heart that loves, the mind that feels,
A teacher, artist, brave and wise,
With hope reflected in my eyes.
Don’t silence songs unborn,
Don’t turn away from dawn.
Every daughter is a flame,
Each one is worthy, each the same
If you give my life a chance,
I will fill your world with love’s
sweet dance.
For every girl deserves her place –
To live, to dream, with hope and
grace.
So hear my whisper, soft yet strong.
I have belonged to you all along.”
Let me breath, let me see the sun,
For every life has just begun.
Manasa Reddy Chichili is a poet and short story writer from Hyderabad, Telangana. Her haiku and tanka have been published in several journals, including Under the Basho, Mainichi Haiku, Awen, and Atlantean Publishing, among others. Her longer poems have also appeared in PoetryPotion, The Wise Owl, and Neccheli. Her haiku was nominated for the Touchstone Award (2025), and she has also written haiku directly in Japanese, published on haikutown.jp.
She is the author of the poetry collection A Woman’s Life in Poems, a book that explores the emotions, strength, struggles, and resilience of women through poetry.