Saturday 19 July 2014

This poem is a river, a man and a forest

courtesy : google image

This poem is the wrath of a river

This poem is the dream of a man

This poem is the story of a forest

 

This poem is Brahmaputra

Its hungry tide laps up land

Crashing, breaking dreams

Before reaching its salty home

It tears itself to countless streams

Taking the look of torn roots

Of a gigantic banyan tree

This poem is the wrath of a river

 

This poem is Jadav Payeng

He is a forestry worker

Living in Majuli Island by the Brahmaputra

The broken nests light a star

In his inner sky

He becomes his own light

And prays for a woodland to take birth

This poem is the dream of a man

 

This poem is Molai Forest

Each tree loves a man

Who single handedly

For more than three decades

Created this tree-land

That’s harboring wild life

And fortifying the island

This poem is the story of a forest

 

This poem is the flow of tamed anger of a river

This poem is the fulfillment of the deep green dream of a man

This poem is the song of the wild in an unusual forest

 

 

My heartfelt thanks to Grace for sharing the wonderful video of The Forest Man with me that was the inspiration of this poem…

 

 

Posted for Hannah’s hosting Sunday’s Mini Challenge : Boomerang Metaphors @ Real Toads

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Shared with Poetry Pantry @ Poets United

33 comments:

  1. SUMANA! This poem is SPECTACULAR!!!!!! I watched Grace's video this morning and it is an amazing example of what one person can do. I LOVE this poem so much, especially "this poem is the deep green dream of a man". Fantastic writing, my friend!

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  2. good on him...and thank goodness for those like him that try to give life back to the forests instead of just stripping them to make room for houses or to take the resources....

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  3. I'm going to need to view this film that you speak of but WOW, Sumana, I'm just blown away by your poem. This poem brought goose bumps and I love how the pieces that you chose work together to bring such an incredible story to life! Thank you SO much for joining!! :)

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  4. This poem is beautiful, and the story is wonderfully uplifting.

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  5. A powerful tribute to the man i recently read about--was it a link you shared? --who spent/spends? his life planting one tree at a time to replenish the world. Your poem has a tone of conflict and resolution. By the end, I wanted to stand in the flowing streams that look like Banyon and see how this man's rootedness stopped erosion; I wanted to wash his feet in thanks.

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    1. here is the link Susan http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/07/forest-man/

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  6. This is wonderful. It conjures up such powerful visions.
    Thanks much for visiting Poetry of the Netherworld.

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  7. Sooo nice, Sumana. Reading it was a pleasure, it all fit together smoothly and logically. And you told a beautiful story beyond conservation, reclamation in the finest.

    Did you know that the island of Key West, Florida, here in the states has increased four times it's original size by dredging action reclaiming land from the sea?

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    1. @Jim how I wish someone in my land would listen to the wonderful story of Florida..

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  8. i love when a poem not only tells the story of a forest but literally is the story...

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  9. You absorbed the idea behind the form beautifully Sumana.

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  10. A great write, testimony of the rights to conservation for humankind! Wonderful write Sumana!

    Hank

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  11. This poem is a powerful piece of writing!

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  12. This is wonderful, Sumana. Grace shared the video with me too, and it is an inspiration. So is your poem. It shows how dreams can be fulfilled one step at a time, one tree at a time.

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  13. This poem is unique and very inspiring, Sumana. I love the tale it tells of India and man's continued commitment to the natural world.

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  14. Love. Serve me this poem a sew times a week for inspiration and renewed faith.

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  15. I enjoyed the way you introduced us to this man and his actions. We need more people like him.

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  16. the last three lines have me, beautifully put!

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  17. Beautiful response Sumana as I knew you would love love the video ~ Each line is exquisite and your ending stanza wonderfully caps it ~ As if nature was appeased by the green dream of the forest man ~

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  18. I've heard of this man... hats off to his endeavour and your lines have made him a real hero as he is... great one.. :-)

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  19. "The deep green dream of a man"...oh, how I love that. Gorgeous words! I must now watch this video.

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  20. So beutiful this was... Specially loved jadavs story,... There are people of all kinds good and bad and some we just dont understand much!

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  21. Sumana, this is a nature-loving poem and I appreciate it much. Beautiful words to a beautiful Hindu-inspired work. :)

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  22. oh my goodness, thank you so much for bringing this poem and this story into my world - what an awesome man and story! K

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  23. What a beautiful poetic tribute to a man who planted a forest. This makes me look deeper inside at what I might be able to do.

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  24. All this world needs is many more Forest man, salute to his efforts. Truly inspirational! :)

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  25. I love the tying together of three seemingly disparate parts. It is a very wonderful poem.

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  26. what an incredible person. totally amazing. it's people like him that gives us hope.
    thanks for sharing, Sumana.

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  27. Love the deep green dream of the man and pray for many more like him,

    Elizabeth

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  28. Sumana,

    Respect is a requirement world-wide from human beings...for the gift of nature.

    Eileen

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