River Haiku
i.
a heron
surfacing—
the river waiting
ii.
the heron’s—
the river’s— wings
embracing the wind
iii.
fish wading
boatlike—
their mouths gaping
iv.
the heron—
the fish— unbothered
the sun scorching
v.
the surface plastic
preying—
the river choking
vi.
the river bleached
the river breathing
the river blue
vii.
the river bleeding
the river draped
with oil
viii.
the river
remembers
things
ix.
floating
chips of ice—
river water warm
x.
river—
in
impermanence
xi.
river—
the site of
permanence
Notes on Islands
we were little
bodies— floating /
unmapped
for birds
an island means
peace
for a river—
often the burden
of peace
an island
can be a shore /
shelter / country
a synonym
for calm, for
tranquillity
a place,
at current rate,
meant to vanish
a place
in need of
saving
an island is a sun
setting— after a million
years of days
Farewell / Elegy
we were islands — bodies
floating, endlessly, unmapped
— when we met
that night; you’d wanted
to understand how the water touches
quietly the horizons—
all we’d wanted together
was to get in a boat,
move to hold the sun —
warm, even in winter — in our hands;
we had wanted
to share what we’d see
there on the other side—
______________
Jayant Kashyap (he/him/ecopoet) is the author of two pamphlets and a zine, Water (Skear Zines, 2021). His work has been presented at COP26, the United Nations Climate Conference 2021, and won the Wells Festival of Literature’s Young Poets’ International Competition in 2021.
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