Anchored long, the summer is past.

The whole of the summer taught us life,

and we learnt our lessons the hard way,

and the river was always far away.

A mere raft, tied, not anchored;

tied to stump of tree on the river bank,

but for me, something of a dream boat.

That was where I wanted to be, on the bank of river

in autumn green and gold.

But the summer wouldn't end and I would not find this spot

where the boat was tied with a flimsy rope

to a doddering stump of tree.

When I finally reached, the autumn told me not to grieve.

It's never too late to begin.

Something will be waiting for you; waiting for you to come

and loosen the tie and feel free to float with the river.

Sushama Karnik 2019

Published on MeWe.