‘A song of silence’ a poem by Dr Ananta Dave…

‘Around me,

between the dialling of 999

and the hoarse, laboured breaths,

The blare of a siren

And the chugging of an engine,

Between the laughter of togetherness

And the sighs of relief,

The anguished cries of the bereft

And the triumphant roar of the heedless.

And far away,

Between the rippling of the river

And the ebbing of the tide,

Between the lowing of the cows

And the mewling of the lambs,

The cackling of the geese

And the cawing of the gulls,

There’s a silence

Which helps me listen,

To those around me

My loved ones,

And to those unknown and unloved too.

Helps me listen to my soul,

While a song unfurls in tiny whispers

Trying to form a melody

Weaving together

Harmonious notes of courage, honesty

Generosity & hope,

Rising above discordant notes of fear, uncertainty, hesitancy & despair.

While the hand jabs

And the limbs seize,

While a bed becomes available

And a ventilator starts beeping,

Between a new variant

And a Race report.

Between a breath squeezing hug

And a breath-taking virus,

Between lungfuls of air

And gasping for breath,

Between a pyre being lit

And hope being extinguished

Amidst the splendour of the rising sun

And the storminess of the clouds

While the wind gusts

And the tide ebbs,

While the sun sets

And the moon glows,

In that heartbeat of time

There’s a stillness.

Which helps me

Breathe life into something new

Which helps me walk

In my mind’s lanes

To forge a path

Towards truth & understanding,

Gratitude & courage,

To be me; all of me

So I can help others be all of them.’

Ananta Dave

6.6.21