సుధాకిరణ్Where does a river begin?
when a water spring rises from the depths
when a waterfall jumps from a mountain
when a stream begins its long journey
hugging the earth, stones, and the reeds with love
and where two shorelines begin
Perhaps when life begins to fall in love with a dream
***
How does a river flow?
crossing the hills, woods, and plains
carrying the crouching crocodiles, unknown mysteries underwater
pondering over the memories of the water springs, trudging silently and slowly
and, at times, rushing with roaring voices at a hurried pace
longing for the puddles as it shrivels
awaiting the clouds that melt and rain
rejoicing the flowery raindrops
enlivening itself with all the hues of the earth
rooting out the large trees and caressing the reeds
kneading the sand grains that refuse to melt even when they flow with the stream
running through the dark nights where even the shadows are invisible
moving along when the nights shine bright with the moonlight
looking for the dream destination
while traversing through the curves and mountain ranges
listening to the hushed whisperings of trees, those green ladders reaching to the skies
Probably, in its journey of understanding the self
***
When does the river get wounded?
when the mountains crash in the rain of fire
when the lone weeping stars are besieged
and when a dawn falls prey to the crocodiles and fails to reach the shore
when the burning leaves of the forest trees fall on the earth like teardrops
when the odour of burnt flesh
overwhelms the fragrance of wild flowers
when the mountaintop gazes into its reflection in the river
and the wounded loners’ dream
plunges into the river of wailing darkness in its final moments
Perhaps, when the quicksand gobbles up the river,
That is when the river gets wounded and bleeds
*
Telugu original: ‘నదీ, పర్వతమూ, నక్షత్రాలూ’
Published: October 2019, in Kolimi online magazine
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