Meher’s poem explores the life cycle of a river, from its birth to its eventual merging with the sea and return as rain, exclusively for Different Truths.
Womb of a mountain
births a river
gurgling newborn
curious, adventurous
excited to explore virgin vistas
Sparkling
at the first sight of light
she swishes melodies
rhythmic to birdsong
gushing over rocks
playfully chipping edges
rolling stones camouflaged
in cascading waterfalls
Bubbles strike rock bottom
move into meanders
over meadows
nurturing
grass, trees, fruits
till tide pushes waves upstream
mingling salt with sweet
Shuddering in fear
river loses skin to
the oneness of water
Sun sucks her
into ever-changing cloud
floating to the mountaintop
pregnant with promise
for a new life.
Picture design by Anumita Roy
Meher Pestonji is a veteran journalist writing on street kids, housing rights, and communalism while covering theatre, art and interviewing creative people. She has written two novels, Pervez and Sadak Chhaap, three plays, ‘Piano for Sale’, ‘Feeding Crows’ ‘Turning Point’ and short stories. Her first collection of poems will be out shortly.
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In this beautiful rendering the poet elevates the traveling of living water from mountain to sea in a panoramic hymn of creation. The shudder, as final transformation to the sea approaches, is a metaphor for the transition of each human person.