I am India| Poem by 15 year old Diya from Mumbai

My existence will not be fulfilled,

Until I repay my creators.

It is not my father who made me,

It is not the government who runs me,

It is not the people who make up my world,

It is neither the culture I am known for.

My creators aren’t those I see every day,

They aren’t the ones who are patriotic,

My creators are those who made it possible,

Possible for me to exist, in all my glory.

They are the ones who fought for my freedom,

With no guarantee that they would ever earn it.

They fought with all their might.

And I need to find a way to repay them.

I must find a way to repay them,

For everything they have done for me.

I do not have any money in my name.

Nor do I have any thing to give them.

However, I do not think,

That would benefit them.

For now, all I can give them,

Is all my gratitude…

Here’s to all the soldiers,

Who fought for me!