Poem: Sweet Benedictions

 

Twilight fades at the horizon.

Night is born

like baby Lord Krishna,

in a dark storm.

Winds whistle. We jostle

on a boat in the giant arms of the ocean.

Whales, starfish, and seahorses plunge

into waves of unrest.

Water splashes in my face,

gushes inside the rocking boat.

Dark memories of yesterday spill in, chilling my spine.

Humanity is parched for life like

miles and miles of cracked cement.

A passing boat’s lingering siren

hollers to the Seven Wonders of the World.

Clouds open their gates,

mystic beasts of wonderland roar and

the sun’s sweet benedictions fall to the earth.

The lighthouse flickers in sight.

I step from the boat

with bare toes into sinking sand,

shaking my wet hair, dropping to my knees.

My soul calls out in prayer:

      Restore peace, unity, and healing

     in this torn, rugged land.

                                    by     Aruna Gurumurthy