#for the sun, the earth and a day

i am learning sanskrit
for i want to be a priest
iam thirty three and not very pious
but still.

take an year off
from family, from normalcy
Journey to the ganges
in a snake boat and an oarsman

wear white,
shave my head
i know i will look shocking
then have cold sandalwood paste smeared on my pate

and for an year
every morn stand with good white bearded men
with the ganges holding me by my hips
and sing a welcome to the sun when a new day is born

iam sure i will know the right words then
words that the sun is sure to hear
and he will stand on earth's blue doorstep
and smile as he comes in.

and live every moment with caution
breathe timidly, and tread on mother earth
so light that she'll hardly know.
speak in hushed whispers all day.

stand on my headand meditate on life,
or dash around the traffic in big cities handing out pamplets that preaches conservation
or make music with a tampura and sing bhajans to the Sun, earth and a day
or water all trees by the roadside.

and every evening sit by the murky river
wail and break my glass bangles on her stone steps
and mourn the death of day
under twilight's funeral pyre.

ps: for World environment day