Teesta Review: A Journal of Poetry, Volume 1, Number 1. May 2018. ISSN: 2581-7094
River’s
Song
--- Malsawmi Jacob
Trickling
tinkling under boulders
my teeny
song begins,my infant voice
soft
and low, barely a whisper.
Right
here I have a vision
the
reason for my existence –
to be
a river,giver of life.
I grow
in girth,become a sparkling stream
ripples
dancing merrily in the sun
fairy-like
dragonflies flitting over me
I
travel downhill with my cheery song
my
voice now loud and clear.
From a
bush nearby a little birdie calls
“River,
river, life giver, welcome, welcome.”
I
answer with joyous laughter
and
shouting in a mighty voice
I
plunge down a deep cataract
and
soon flow on the plains
still enriching
all within reach.
Here
comes a herd of deer
rushing to
quench their thirst;
sweet
creatures, drink your fill!
May I
flow on clean and wholesome
bringing
life and health to all!
I
entreat you, crown of creation,
desist
from poisoning me!
A Dance of the Muse
--- Malsawmi Jacob
On the
bank of the Pampa
we
swap stories and songs
throbbing
with life, rainbow coloured
glimmering
gold shimmering silver
sky-blue
sea-blue
grass-green
river-green
rose-pink
hibiscus-red
dark
red of poured out blood
midnight
black
The
green river watches us
scattering
pearls born out of pain
gray
sky rains abundant tears
on the
gem-strewn ground
a
snake boat slithering by
curious
peeps through branches
to see
the wild revelry
laughter
songs and laments
then
quietly sails away.
I’m drunk on the heady brew
images
music and tales
told
by various bards
sung
in a hundred voices
some
soft some loud
some
high some low
altogether
blending rising
grand
harmonious chorus
joy
and sorrow light and shadow
altogether
chanting
cries
of human hearts.