Meanders! Poem by Shaharyaar Kamaal Siddiqui

From start to finish, from alpha to omega,
No straight course this!
Gullible mind and naive eyes may well breed this,
Tortuous and labyrinthine it is!
Thread of life laid across existence's bare back,
Like a meandering river, changing and flowing!

From womb of time, gushed forth the river of life,
Reckless, full of sap, intimidating!
Like a stallion unchained sprinting with wishes untamed,
Trusted my sinews would breach banks,
And triumphant into pristine lands I would foray,
Onwards I marched, swelling and gurgling,
My onslaught checked, a meander I met,
Mightily dashed the curve, a mad bid against the bend,
Vainglory shattered to smithereens, my direction changed!
Hold relinquished, at dawn westwards I tread,
Unpredictable turned my journey, at noon, eastwards I made,
From meander to meander, from joy to sorrow!
Resurrecting fervently rose and lunged to unshackle and unhook,
Beyond the banks, lush green fields beckoned coquettishly,
And a robin serenaded perched on the tree high,
Enchantment engulfing, how I wished to stay back!
Revel and soak to delight, under merriment's cloak,
Forward should I surge, said the meander,
Journey to the high seas knows no frivolity!
I turned and turned with a dying yearn,
Cursed thy Lord, my path not straight,
Bemoaning the presence of many a menacing meanders!
I flowed and flowed, aged and whined!
Through seasons of pain, devoid of reason or rhyme!

Furious summer with shards of fire descended,
Like a debilitating moribund I exhaled,
Hope you must for the rains, echoed the meander,
The summer will die, not should you!
Then came the rains, like sleight of Master's hand,
Resuscitating to life and longevity!
Winter lacerated my bosom,
I froze shuddering cowardly, clinging to the bank!
Keep the fire alive, for you shall survive!
Whispered the meander!
Embalming my bruised body with tulips and flowers galore,
Amorous spring gyrated on the banks alongside,
For a brief moment, was this heaven crafted for me on earth?



The whirl of seasons, through making and breaking of days and nights,
Brushing across the tunnel of time,
Before my deed is done and I become lost in sea of One!
Ask I must the meander,
Meeting me at life's mercurial plain,
Who fashioned thee?
And for purpose what?
Sentinels of Lord's decree,
Life's lessons I impart!
The straight path goes through the curved one,
For if I do not exist, hardly will be any lessons learnt!
Embrace me, catch hold of me, be guided,
And I shall turn your sojourn a meaningful one!
Thus spake the meander!

-© Shaharyaar