Friday, September 30, 2005

by the pond of stillness

the cackling geese align themselves along the edge of the huge putrid pond. a white line of noise parting the still green. it is covered with slime, no pelican, no herons here. the stillness of scum. long graceful necks balanced on awkward webbed feet look up to the sky, the geese sing a dirge. how long before it is their turn, nobody will sing for them. silly creatures with orange beaks and muddy feathers, protectors of the water, nestling in their dreams.

It is sad when cities let their oldest inhabitants die, used and yet uncared for.

the evening breeze on my sweat sparkled cheeks takes me across the miles to you. ah! these noisy birds, fly away, phsshooo now! i walk a little faster but still only in circles. i look over the dying pond. stillness is malignant. I have a strong urge to churn up these stagnant waters....to save it, to make it breathe again.

in the shade of trees
the birds sang and loved
we walked beneath

from the waters to the skies
prayers rise
i collected darkness of my heart
in cupped hands
prayers rise
i kiss the ground
surrendering to his will
with my prayers i rise.

25 comments:

timeintotime said...

"a white line of noise parting the still green"

That will stay with me. Such a vivid image, so fulfilling.

diana christine said...

your image is so vivid i can smell it and feel its moisture hanging in the air...

lovely expression...

Anonymous said...

Hello, I have seen what you mean: "stillness of scum", "malignant stillness". This reminds me of Eminent Domain law, how governments take over land for profit and push animals (and also unwealthy humans) to the crowded, stagnant fringes.

Thanks for churning the ponds of our thoughts.

Lorena said...

wow gulnaz this is beautiful. i felt like i was there with you.

"I have a strong urge to churn up these stagnant waters....to save it, to make it breathe again."

and we always want to heal something (someone) else as if at the same time we are healing ourselves. and it usually works.

i love the imagery of collecting the darkness of the heart and releasing it. very peaceful ending.

take care sweetie :)

Cecilia said...

This says so much about what you are going through (if I may say that and if I am correct)...

There is nothing like this kind of writing, an electric connection between the mind and heart with frequencies running to the hands as they jot down/type...to heal and to nurture the hear tand the spirit.

I wish you the best.

Russell CJ Duffy said...

prose and poetry in equally delightful measure. gulnaz strikes back and with a bang.

. : A : . said...

I think for one of the first times while reading your writing, I felt that the prose was more poetic than the poetry.

:-)

Very strong, vivid and beautiful images painted by the first half.

gulnaz said...

timeintotime- thanks! am glad that you should like it so!

feminine expressions- am glad i could convey it so...thank you dear!

Anon- i'm not against profit in the least but profit need not be myopic. investments have to be long term. i'm happy that you liked this...thanks...do visit again and why the anonymity? :)

Lorena- thanks lo, i liked your perspective on it! you are right there are ways and ways of healing ourselves. am glad you liked the imagery in the poem too...i seek such peace. i think we when we are on the same plane we can relate to each others thoughts regardless of the distance.

Cecilia- of course you may so and you are correct too. :) btw, i think your name and av are very pretty. yes sometimes the words do come sponateously makes me think they are springing from the keyboard. i like it better when i don't have to think. :) thank you for wishing me well...i wish the same for you!

CJ- i am glad that it should delight you, you are always too kind to me and i love it! :)

.:A:. - now i don't know if i should be happy that you liked my prose or sad that you didnt like the poetry as much...hmmm....:)
....still am glad that yuo liked some of it, at least. ;) thanks!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful description....I hope the wishes in your heart come true.....

Cecilia said...

...and you made me smile again.

Wishing you a great weekend.

And yes, I love it when I don't have to think and the words just come and go...From the heart.

Paul said...

The worst part to me is that today, we are conscious of the harm we do to the environment but are ruining it faster than ever.

The drive behind the devastation - behind every form of pollution and habitat destruction - is human population growth.

We're either going to learn to control our population, or Mother Nature will take care of that problem for us. It's that simple. The earth isn't a limitless habitat.

Patry Francis said...

Very lovely, Gulnaz. I, too, felt peaceful after reading it.

Anonymous said...

I love hw the image of geese are floating or swimming on the ake or river... the way their dirty feathers and muddy feets...

This is innovative....

And at the end all hope and prayers...

how good can it get that the way your potrayed this image

Thank you

iamnasra

Roger Stevens said...

the stillness of scum

so sad
and yet under the scum
we can find such diversity

at least in my pond

in my pond
there is a minor city
vibrant and exciting
under the scum

just waiting for the barley straw
to filter out the bad

Gulnaz
love your writing

G Shrivastava said...

Beautiful...loved the lilting quality to the text! Seems that break was truly rejuvenating! :-)

Adrian Neibauer said...

great juxtaposition of the putrid lake and the peaceful Fall scene.

mermaid said...

A perfect portrait of meditation, of beauty, of Allah's love radiating from, through, and to you.

Khakra said...

why do i feel you wrote this in hungary? beautiful!

{illyria} said...

i relate to your need to get a dynamic going. life is lived in motion, and you write about the process ever so profoundly!

gulnaz said...

rusty- awwww that is so sweet of you....may your wishes come true too!
lets raise a toast to wishes...:)

Cecilia- am glad! :)

Paul- there are countries with falling birthrates and increasingly single child families are the norm in most countries, yet there is the bursting pressure of population on our resources! the poor in india have more babies because of infant mortality, more babies translating into more hands and ignorant prejudice towards contraception.

Patry- thanks! ....am so glad you felt the peace. :)

Ravi - thank you! :)

Nasra- well....gotta keep hoping on :)
thanks darling.

Roger- wow, loved the poem you have left behind and am so pleased with myself that you like my writing. thanks! :)

Geetanjali- oh the break was nice!! :) thanks!

Stan- yes i was struck by the beauty of the evening and the awfulness of the pond, am glad you also liked it.

mermaid- of late i had become slack about meditating and when i go off it for too long, i can feel a loss of 'purity' in me...sort of feel all fizz and i dont like that. am glad you saw that.

Khakra- ah! hungary, i would love to see that country... :) thanks! perhaps i was there in my mind, i like to imagine myself in far away places. :)

transi- thank you sweetie!! i am glad you think so too! stillness is something i'm actuely aware and yet nothing really stays the same, rot takes over.

Mridula said...

"I have a strong urge to churn up these stagnant waters....to save it, to make it breathe again."

Just do that!

gulnaz said...

good advice Mridula! :)

Perfect Virgo said...

All life is just desperately beautiful ugliness.

gulnaz said...

PV- god, that is so perfectly said!

gulnaz said...

finn- why that is so sweet of you!! am glad you posted about wabi-sabi, it was interesting and i'm glad i got to learn of it. beauty is not just there in cliches but in so much more, we need to be aware to see it.