It is a cloudless day
Like a dear friend
The sky is happy
And full of smiles.
From the horizon
A breeze blows gently
It touches my every limb
As if with an invisible veil
It is as pleasant as the touch of my beloved’s scarf.
On the placid river
My boat quietly drifts
Making gentle ripples;
In the distance
Like an aquatic animal
That half submerged strip of sandy land
Lies long and bathes in the sun.
The high broken banks,
The deep shady trees,
The hidden homesteads,
The narrow winding road
Like a thirsty tongue
Crosses the fields
And meets the stream;
The village women bathe in the river
Submerged to their neck
They playfully gossip
The sweet sound of their laughter
Reaches my ears;
On an anchored boat
With his back against the sun
The old fisherman
With rapt attention mends his net;
The village urchin
Naked and full of fun
Jumps into the water
Like an indulgent mother
The river bears with such annoyance.
I see from my boat
Both the banks
And the clear blue sky
Outspread to its uttermost height -
On the land, in the river
And in the groves of trees –
It is a pageant of myriad colours
All drowned in the mid-day sun.
The hot winds
Carry the smell of mango blooms
And the languid songs of doves.
Today peace like a flowing stream
Is flowing through my entire being
It seems
Happiness is a simple thing
And within easy reach
Like some wildflower in full bloom
Or the silent smile on a child's face
It contains the nectar of a kiss
Like a song
It rises from the depths of the universe
And resonates in everything.
It is beyond my power
To compose or sing that song
Or to capture it in words
Nor do I know
How to preserve in our life and love
This simple joy, this ever fresh blossom.
Determined and in zest
I try very hard to grasp it
But it breaks
As I take it within my grips;
It is in vain to follow it
To its farthest limits.
.
With an over-flowing heart
I look spellbound
At the quiet blue sky
And the quietly flowing river
And it seems
Happiness is a simple thing
And within easy reach.
