journey to nowhere

Below the bridge, in swirling river waters,
Schoolboys swim in near nakedness,
Peach body contours against dark boulders-
Harbingers of fate and doom-
The journey on foot continues
Amidst kaleidoscopic nature.

In green and brown, darkness glitters
Along the river banks,
Festooned by the many faces of nature.
Under a green canopy, bamboo thrives in hiding,
Safe from axe and saw,
Wild flowers smile in opulent colors
And shapes that defy imagination-
Yellow, blue, white, pink,
In formless forbidden shapes,
In moulds of evil.

We criss-cross the river, seeking vantage points,
Hands holding aloft footwear trophies,
The river curls, caresses ankle and feet,
Swift currents threaten playfully,
In succulent coolness,
My spirits dance with the wavelets,
Marching along destiny.

The face of nature constantly changing-
Inviting, cajoling, twinkling,
Like a child confronting bitter fate,
A hundred feet above, gigantic gulmohurs beckon,
Standing their ground amidst war and strife,
Waving a thousand red flags of courage.

On the ground, quaint touch-me-nots,
Reminding of childhood days, recede in panic,
Like a bride beneath the veil.
A hamlet on the way, a police outpost,
Tiny wooden structures amidst deafening silence,
Wavering water rounds rocks into antiquity.
A lone constable appears
To challenge the unknown.
A cursory glance is all we receive.

Existence assumes many forms,
Fulfilling fundamental needs suffice,
Free from tensions, urban uncertainty,
Free from craving and luxury,
Crime syndicates, flesh kingdoms do not exist,
Only solace and the peace of understanding,
Sons of the soil, venerating nature still.

Orange, cardamom- gifts of the Nature god,
Vistas of hillsides alive at harvest-
A sight to treasure, a long moment to behold.
Finally we have parted ways,
The water is a distant memory,
Undulating paths now hold us in thrall,
Unknown, unseen dangers- elephant country!
A lonely threesome measuring the silence,
Darkness falls, destination reached,
Welcoming smiles, a warm dinner, cozy bed,
Rewards befitting our labours.