Echos

The river heaved a sigh,

drew a deep breath,

releasing her quiescent bubbles

hibernating in her womb.

She had been silent too long-

longing to converse, to whisper

her secrets, the soft music

that echoed through her veins.

She swirled and pirouetted,

kissed the waltzing flowers

as she ascended in a whirl,

perching on trembling leaves,

waiting for the Sun to sparkle.

Birdsong tuned the newborn rays;

dawn echoed back their refrain.

Pencils of light sketched

intricate patterns - yellow,

gold, and amber-brown,

across the floating leaves;

a slideshow of memories,

echoes from time immemorial.

Every molecule sang

the same symphony of silence

amidst this chaos and madness.

Today I listen—

to the echoes of the hills,

these pristine valleys;

to the river that flows within,

the untainted echoes of the soul.

Layers peel away, one by one -

remnants of shadows washed.

I follow the remembered cadence 

of the river’s source, 

echoes from the womb of light, 

to breathe again, to birth anew.

By Shalini Nandkeolyar

From: India