Daddy’s Boots

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July 26, 2026

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Daddy’s Boots

His uniform was her pride,

And he was her anchor.

Her daddy was the strongest,

For he could lift her with one hand.

She loved polishing his badge, the smell

Of black polish shiny on his boots.

She held out his lathi in both hands,

Into his firm, sturdy, yet gentle grip.

The khaki he wore meant safety—

“My handsome daddy would protect me.”

And then, when he was ready to leave,

She sent him with a crisp salute.

Now, colourful cartoons on the TV

Are replaced by violent visuals:

Youngsters with placards and roses,

Beaten, fractured, and blinded.

Water cannons spray gallons,

Rubber bullets pierce flesh.

She watches as the horror unfolds:

His lathi cracking their heads.

They were bleeding, they were broken,

Yet they firmly stood their ground,

Pushing forward, raising slogans,

To make their voices heard.

In the evening, when he’s at the door,

There’s a deafening silence.

Her hands are rigid at her sides,

Frozen against the usual hug.

His gaze falls to the ground, at his boots—

The once shiny black boots, now bloody.

She follows his gaze down too,

As a shiver runs down her spine.

Trembling, she looks up at him,

Bravely facing the monster eye to eye.

With a shaky voice, she manages

To say, “Daddy, will you hit me too?”

About the Author:

Sydney Billford Monteiro was born and brought up in Mangalore, Karnataka. An HR by profession, he has a Masters in Social Work and is working for the Hospitality Industry in Bangalore. He is an avid reader of Crime Thrillers, Mystery novels, and Science books. Creative writing and poetry is his passion.

He loves exploring the world of stories. His favourite pastime is experimenting with real-life events, creating characters, and turning them into engaging storylines.

Apart from reading and writing the author loves football; his favourite game and watching movies that depict unusual concepts and real-life events.

He also loves to have a healthy debate over a scientific idea.

Also Read

The poem Beneath The Numbers is closely connected to the author’s newly released book, which is now available as an eBook on Amazon and as a paperback on Pothi.com.

Book Purchase Links:

Amazon eBook: https://amzn.in/d/0c6dcihi
Pothi Paperback: https://store.pothi.com/book/sydney-billford-monteiro-beneath-numbers/

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Daddy’s Boots

About the Author:

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Book Purchase Links: