The rivulet, Oko’pia

You stay far away
And you beckon to us

From the quiet hamlets, we hear you call
Messages passing through the forest rumbling stomach
To the white clouds garnished by the sunshine
And the tree pathways, leading to you
We sit on your banks, telling stories of the wild
You let the trees surrounding us blow us kisses
The children pick palm nuts and small rocks
And they try to crack the nuts to have the seeds
The sands on your banks provide our feet
With warmth and resounding comfort
And when we step into you; sweet and cold
But all this while, your waters flow in haste
To other lands, they rush to feed!
Now and then a stray fish shows up
Throwing up bubbles to the surface
And avoiding the current surge in moves defined
As leaves fall each time the trees are kissed
The cool breezes sent only by the wind

The trees cover the pathways leading to you
The sunshine tries to break through
But to no avail. only sun streaks could
And from up there Hawks whine as they fly
The pathways are lonely, save from rodents
And stray reptiles that seek the sun’s heat
Now and then, a fruit falls ‘plum!’
Into the quietness of your current
And the little fishes scatter in confusion
But the crabs stay careless and unperturbed

Now, you call unto me dear stream
And when we walk through the pathways to you
It all comes to us, your comfort and taste-quenching waters
And how much we miss your warmness
When we all leave the hamlet to settle in towns

I beckon to you now as you do always to me
Tell me what I have missed all this while
Let your waters wash me, let me be free
And let once more, your waters flow through my sight