Born in a hovel,

Her mother cried too

The village named her Maya

As her father started anew

Never told she was human

Never knew otherwise

Never doubted life’s lessons

Stolen from her mother’s eyes

Ignored, she grows older

unknowing of her plight

dreamless, life has nothing to offer

never given her a reason to fight

Falls prey to a young man

Gotta leave before he changes his mind

Got nothing much to carry

Everything to leave behind

Sold into a brothel

Girlchild is just fifteen

Maya the name suits her well

This little life has never been

Eighteen she’s got the disease

Forgotten everything in between

New girl has come in from her place

Gonna welcome her into sin

“Little sister, your name won’t do.

Choose Maya, that was mine.

In this place that is nothing new

It’s all I have to leave behind

-Suraj Mani