Conversed The River And The Rock

By Prasanjit Das

Darkness everywhere, it was exact 12 o’clock

When began the conversation between the river and the rock.

The river wished the rock, “Goodmorning sir”,

The rock asked angrily, “Who is irritating me by making this pur?”

As he was woken up from his sleep

Which was quite deep.

The river answered, “I am the river,

Not a stiver, I am as valuable as a block of shining silver,

You were blocking my way which I always pass through

So only I was forced to disturb you,

Please let me reach the other side

Where many creatures who depend on my water reside,

Please give me a little way

By slightly altering your place of stay.”

Hearing these words, rock’s face turned apple red,

He spoke wrathfully, “You are saying me to wake up and leave my bed!

You are commanding me! Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know my power?

I have crushed several warriors under me into fine powder,

Everyone in this world fears my rage

From a far gone age

And you are just a little creature,

Not even one-millionth of my stature,

I am as gigantic as an elephant and for me you are like a small shrew

So why should I obey you?

Instead you should obey me and fear my might,

I am tolerating you since midnight,

Now I can’t bear you anymore, I am losing my patience,

Get out of here or I shall award you painful lesions.”

Listening to this anyone in the place of the river would have fled

But the river stood there itself, she begged,

“Sir, I am not commanding you,

I am requesting you,

Please don’t say no

To my request, let me go,

Who formed me, don’t waste those streams’ struggle,

Don’t take away the giggle

Of several innocent creatures,

Don’t put a stop to my service to nature,

Don’t… ”. The rock interrupted, “Enough, now you will meet your doom”.

For the first time, the river spoke boldly, “Let us see who finishes whom,

Till now you saw my politeness,

Now you will witness my ruthlessness”.

A large wave of river water splashed on the solid mineral matter,

The rock turned into several pieces and turbulence made these pieces scatter,

Washed away were both the rock and his arrogance,

Finally ended the conversation between the river and the rock, spread everywhere was complete silence.

Then the river progressed forwards and thought on the way,

“The rock whom I killed will slowly turn into clay

In which seeds will be sown

And plants will be grown,

So, I have contributed for nature’s development a bit,

Now I will be able to provide water to all those creatures who need it.”

By Prasanjit Das