River Noise And River Silence Poem by Jagannath rao Adukuri

river noise and river silence
swept by leaning trees and rocks
carry ashes of our living since dead
rice balls are carried in rapid water
reaching distant rivers in hills
our fire is lighted, our rice cooked
for our no longer kin but airy spirits
we chant strange words, sonorous
words that release airy nothings
from real bondages, strange.
words are airy nothings too
the body is nothing, just sleeps
and it turns into ice and ashes
swathed in ice that holds body
while it does not smell, quietly
bodies that look at the sky
disappear the next morning
in ashes of flowing water
we tried to collect two urea bags
full of she who bore us into the world
the boat enters midstream
without looking back we hurl her
her ribs were trying to hold
after the fire they are cinders
we scoop her in our bags
all the while we chant strange words
that mean nothing to us or to her
our words are ashes, our love ashes
a bag of yellowed bones

(my mother’s death)