Anila’s poignant poem explores the profound grief and yearning of a woman struggling with infertility, exclusively for Different Truths.

Thirsty Mother, yearning for a toddler,
Her heart aches, her tears run wild.
She dreams of tiny feet and sweet laughter,
But sadly, her hands remain empty, incomplete. 
 
She prays to the heavens, with all her might,
For a toddler to hold tight.
But fate has not been kind, her womb remains barren,
Her dreams of motherhood always unfulfilled, untold. 
 
She weeps in silence, in the dark of night,
Her longing for a baby, an endless fight.
She sees other mothers, with their precious ones,
And wonders what she did wrong, what she has not done. 
 
She feels the pain, deep in her soul,
As the years pass by, her heart takes a toll.
She longs to feel a life growing inside,
But her body betrays her, and her desire slowly dies. 
 
She tries to be strong, to put on a brave face,
But inside she's crumbling, in this infinite race.
She longs to hold a child, to hear it cry,
But it feels like a distant dream, a distant sky. 
 
Thirsty Mother, with a heart full of love,
But never given the chance to hold her dove.
She weeps day and night, in solitude,
For the child she never had, for the motherhood she never knew. 
 
But even in her pain, she finds a way,
To spread her love, every single day.
She may not have a child, to call her very own,
But in her heart, a mother she has grown.
 
Thirsty Mother, though her arms may be empty,
Her love knows no bounds, it is pure and plenty.
She may have never been able to give birth,
But in her heart, she's a mother, for all it's worth. 

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Anila Bukhari

Anila Bukhari, a dedicated writer from Pakistan, has left a profound mark on the literary landscape with six books and five international anthologies. Her poetry, translated into 16 languages across 50 countries, serves as a beacon of hope. Anila’s impactful work extends beyond words, reaching over 1000 orphaned children through online education initiatives. Through her project “Hopeful Hugs,” she has brought joy to countless homeless individuals, spreading love and comfort through simple acts of kindness.