Can that Boat be?

 

CAN THAT BOAT BE?

While we dipped for a bath

in the dark, murky waters

of the river, at the ghat

where the canal joined,

Do I rightly remember seeing

two mates sitting on the bank

under a coconut tree

busy in building a boat?

There, the cascading waters’

frothing speed . . . here,

the shadow of canal shutter

on the gloomy, lame water

In that we doused, dried

and left, beholding a tree,

beneath the coconut tree,

becoming a boat.

While leaving, from the bus

over the bridge, we saw afar,

down on the river, a sight of

two souls rowing away in a boat

A silent serenity, ahead

of its merger with sea

surrounds it, dense

deep and pervading

On that expanse as

the gentle wind wafts

can that boat be this boat

taking its shape over here?

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Manoharan V P 04.01.2022