The Melting Roof of The World

By Smita Bharadwaj

The roof top of the world –Tibet is pristine,

The natural order is perfect and divine

Where spring the Yangtze, Ganges and Mekong,

Nourishing mankind as they flow along.

Pausing on the Tibetan mountain trail,

Let us confess the guilt, greed and how we fail

The melting glaciers seem so helpless indeed

Pleading us to take only what we need.

A drop of water -nothing is more precious

But mankind has misused this gift glorious,

By wounding the creative forces of universe

Beware- it seems that God’s must be furious.

Shrinking glaciers and drying rivers of water elusive,

Our symbol of creation is in a crisis massive

All on the brink and yet we do not recognize

Time to wake up – there is trouble in paradise.

The sacred waters with magical healing powers

Bless for baptism and rituals before prayers

Accept scattering of ashes in its gentle preserves,

A spiritual cleansing with sacred forces of the universe.

Silent springs and mighty rivers are altars

Bringing peace and health to those who immerse,

Water spirits’ blessings flow deep and wide

Purifying the elements and helping as intuitive guide.

The fluid in the womb is –Mother of waters

Infused with life giving magical powers,

From cathartic tears to the holy rituals sublime

Multifarious water is finite and wasting it is a crime.

Climate change, gas emissions and other menace

Will affect the azure, emerald and turquoise aqua surface

While the planet warms up, our hearts are going cold

By Smita Bharadwaj