It (#Wattys2016)

danial (mind the a)

we wail
like starving seagulls
when we receive the greatest
gift that one could ever hope for.

uttered by dad's smiling lips,
witnessed by grandma's proud bespectacled eyes,
something is breathed within;
my identity.

my name:
danial.

note the apparent lack of e,
the huge difference between i
and a potterhead's fantasy,
between i
and a talented youtuber
between i
and perhaps, perhaps
even your next door neighbour.

and note how the 'a' does not warp
how one utters the word,
how one blaring siren piercing through the night
or one childish purr squealing loud in cheer
may call upon your wildest fantasies
(radcliffe and howell),
or, if you're unlucky enough,
myself.

and note how glaringly common
daniels (or danials) are in this world,
how we exist with varied eyes
and hair styles and smiles
and dainty little traits
that make us all individualistic,
unique in our little way.

because though i know of
daniel zaki and
daniel choo and
daniel ibrahim, there is
something different about
mr. danial husain.

of how he is eldest of five,
and constantly spills raspberry jam
atop his cluttered desk
and how he sleeps five hours
and complains about how he needs more,
but never does anything of it.

of how he wears mismatched socks
because of his messy ways
and how he oversweetens the tea
and forces people to forcefully
sip onto the creamy concoction,
and bursts into spontaneous bouts
of laughter, like a madman.

of how, even though,
he may bash himself for
his every little fault,
and every little spot
he always
always
finds a way to just
love himself for who he is.

and you know what?
you don't have to be a daniel
nor a danial to get it.
you may be sneha
or henrick or nina
or bri or anna
or celeste or ryan
or christie or clarice
or maryam or lilia
or heck, even you.

give yourself a pat on the back
and appreciate what you've done.
for no matter who you are
and what your name might be,
you are worthy of your own love.

and please
don't let anybody tell you otherwise.