A DIRGE
(APRIL-27)
Where each atom meditates
Silence reigns supreme
There’s our* home
In the Himalayas
Where the leaf deer** springs
And a 100 million year gecko*** ticks
There’s our home
In the Himalayas
Where I become one with the leaves
And fly in the moist air to my heart’s content
There’s our home
In the Himalayas
But lately we feel the atoms quaking
As your piercing eyes have found us out
Will our Paradise be lost?
But WE were not disobedient
*Flying frogs discovered in 2008 in the Eastern Himalayas, (a biological treasure trove now threatened by climate change)
**One of the world’s oldest and smallest deer species (Muntiacus Putaoensis)
***a newly discovered reptile
Courtesy: WWF (World Wide Fund For Nature)
Posted for Margaret’s prompt Play it Again, Toads #4
&
Shared with Poetry Pantry @ Poets United
we have Muntjak deer here now, introduced in Victorian times. They like by rosebuds unfortuantely :-(
ReplyDeleteYour meditating atoms made me smile.
What an amazing poem to highlight the plight of the most fragile of ecosystems and the curious creatures that inhabit them.
ReplyDeleteSad that we are destroying the home & paradise of other creatures ~ A good message Sumana ~
ReplyDeletevery beautifully you have brought out the prevailing condition
ReplyDeleteHopefully nothing should disrupt the tranquility of this towering heaven on earth. You've done a great deed by stressing upon the importance of conserving nature.
ReplyDeleteVery good write with the message of conserving nature. Hopefully the point will be understood before it is to late.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully penned, as always, on an important topic!
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful Sumana… if we keep lovingly reminding each other to care for our world… for each other… perhaps paradise will not be lost, instead renewed. I pray this will be so.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it miraculous that we can still discover new creatures on this planet? And isn't it horrific that we can then as quickly destroy them. You wrote of these so beautifully, Sumana.
ReplyDeleteMy heart lifts at the mention of the Himalayas........which you have captured so beautifully here. Terribly sad, the loss of life among the heroic sherpas this past week. And the effect of too many people on this ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteheartbreaking!
ReplyDeleteSo much of nature will be destroyed before we even knew what we have lost... a sad reminder.. but I still want to have flying frogs.
ReplyDeleteSumana, challenging and evocative write - thank you so much... With Best Wishes Scott www.scotthastie.com
ReplyDeleteneat! I like the poetic footnotes, as they offer a deeper level for reading the poem.
ReplyDeleteLove the human thought you gave to the toads:"What did I do wrong?" But unlike humans, the toads are not culpable.
ReplyDeleteYou have penned this piece with a delicate lightness of touch that beautifully echoes the fragility of our natural world.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely!
ReplyDeleteYou point out a very real fact. We have probably destroyed many 'gifts' without being truly aware of their existence.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
:-) it will be all right...
ReplyDeleteZQ
Thanks for shining light on life's precious treasures through beautiful poetry
ReplyDeleteI love your opening two lines!! Beautiful work!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem. Thank you for sharing your home to make part of our hearts.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem...
ReplyDeleteAnd at the same time, very informative..
Lovely!
So sad to watch our planet being destroyed.
ReplyDeleteI do so hope this particular paradise is not lose to prying eyes...
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]
the ancient woven so delicately with the uncertainty of tomorrow. A very delicate balance indeed and your poem highlights it well. . Sorry to be responding to this prompt so late - I truly thank you for participating!
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