The mighty river

"Whence comes your strength, your majestic force

That moves mighty ships, births life on your shores?"

I ask the river, and she, with a puzzled eye

Looks up to me and says "But what strength have I?

I am molten snow that rolls down the hill

Along the paths paved by Mother Nature's will

The brooks feed me, the rain helps me grow

Down to the sea I am but impelled to flow

I claim no great force, for who is this "I"?

Am I the tiny brook, the grey cloud in the sky?

Am I the wisp of vapor that rises from the sea?

Am I the child of nature that bows to gravity?

The ships of mighty men, or a child's paper boat

Oh! What joy to know I help keep them afloat

But I say this, my friend, not with humility

I do naught, it all just happens through me"

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This concept of "acting without being the doer" is expounded in many Eastern philosophies. It is called "wu wei" in Taoism, which means effortless action in harmony with the flow of the universe. The Bhagavadgita, of course, delves very deep into this concept. For example, Chapter 3, Verse 27 says

prakriteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvashah

ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate

which roughly translates to "actions happen due to the forces of nature, but the ignorant man thinks of himself as the doer". The Gita also teaches us that we are just a "nimittamatra" or an instrument of nature's will. 

Ode to a fragrant flower

Your silent presence by my side

Such magic it weaves in my life

The world is filled with a fragrant joy

Its many flaws do not catch my eye

My simple life of mundane things

Dons a new charm, a new meaning

So I am glad, my love, all those years ago

I held your hand, and never let go

Lost

With open arms, what does it ask of the sky

This lofty tree laden with luscious fruit?

Why does it trill such high notes of joy

The lonely bird perched in those dark woods?

What impels the bees to fly long miles

To gather more food than they'd ever use?

Why do the ants spend their fleeting lives

Building castles of mud and other refuse?

Why so they act? How so their thoughts?

If knowing such simple souls is beyond my ken

It is little wonder that I'm forever lost

In the labyrinthine ways of the world of men

The course of a river

It was born in a heady exuberance

(Was the earth reaching to touch the heavens?)

It flowed in joy and gurgling smiles

Like the sweet babble of an innocent child

It took down the walls along its way

And off our feet, we were swept away

In time, it slowed and steadied its course

In its cradling arms, new life arose

Come flood or drought, it kept flowing on

Burrowing deeper, and growing strong

We drifted along its meandering ways

On some dark nights, many blessed days

And now it is the boundless sea

No waves ripple through the peace

The calm sea breeze lifts us high

We float under the clear blue sky

As drops in the ocean, two kindred souls

That have merged to become one happy whole

Oh, how wondrous the paths of destiny

That've brought us together, you and me

Through laughter, joy, and some aching tears

Look how much we've grown over the years

From the hills to the sea, as the river flows

Our love has indeed walked a beautiful course

The enlightened tree

Come barren winter or blooming spring

Parching summer or pouring rain

The tree, she stands calm, unshaken

A stoic sage through joy and pain

Perhaps she knows she owes the world

No leaf nor fruit nor tender flower

She owes nothing but sixty honest seconds

Of living in a minute given to her

All she needs shall flow in time

From the earth's bosom and sun's embrace

As she stands rooted with open arms

To accept what comes with humble grace

From seed to shoot, from tree to dust

Mother Nature paves her path of life

Watching in wonder the way unfold

She gently floats on the waves of time

Through seasons of change, storms of fate

She stands in stillness and in peace

As I sit by her, I think I must too

Not yearn to become, but learn to be

Eternal

The hardiest of plants blooms not

Without a tending of the soil

The flame of a lamp dies out

If we replenish not its oil

The roaring river needs its rains

To renew its strength and flow

The earth, it seeks the sun's kiss

Each day to kindle its soul

How then does an eternal love

A marriage of beautiful minds

Though nourished not with loving words

It withers not with time?

What keeps passion's flames aglow

When stoked not by a lover's hand?

What magic etches, I ask of you

Feelings forever on fleeting sand?

You look at me with a gentle smile

You, whose love for me it shone

A steady light through stormy times

And helped me find my way back home

I ask you whence comes your strength

You, my deepest love, truest of friends

You draw me close and whisper, with tenderness

"Love begins, my dear, where reason ends"

 

A poetic end

The evening glows in a golden light

No dark clouds are pouring rain

As I walk to the sunset one last time

May your smile wash away my pain

May your thoughts fill my vivid dreams

As I slip into the endless night

When the music of life begins to ebb

May your song be my lullaby

May your soft breath caress my face

As I breathe in the last of mine

In your warm embrace, may I fall

In love with you one more time

May the last thing I see be your eyes

Of solemn grace and silent strength

As beautiful as our journey was

May just as poetic be its end

---

Inspired by these poignant lines from a ghazal by Qateel Shifai

aakhri hichki tere zaanu pe aaye

maut bhi main shaairana chahta hoon