Reflections on own timeline
are neither easy nor fast
as one needs a special mirror
to look back in the past.

A river flowed
for a decade long
as it careened through
the jungle land.

For long it forgot
its own beautiful song
its own little joy
that it had carried along.

And it never looked back
for the past was gone
as it looked ahead
to the sea that beckoned.

And then it saw
a brook run by
a little young stream
singing high.

The brook knew not
to where it went
neither did it worry
through ascent or descent.

But the brook had speed
which made the river see
what the brook’s future
would one day to be.

The river knew the brook
would with time grow
and be its own river
with depth it would flow.

And then the river realized
that it was once the same brook
alive, singing, flowing carefree
unlike today’s look.

Always busy running
the river never knew why
all the joy evaporated
as time flew by.

So the river beholds the brook
as it passes away
and wishes before it grows ahead
the brook enjoys every day.


- Dedicated to Tanvi Jadwani, my mentee (http://hellopoetry.com/tanvi-jadwani/)