The inspiration to this poem is a discussion we had been having on 'Set Sail', chiefly between me and Partha on Authorship. :)

Along the dusty trails At a forlorn crossing Sat a water bearer plying his ware Whence came a thirsty traveler To quench, readily a bowl did he fare

And ‘ere as he gulped, the traveler, the draughts till quenched and satiated Wiping the moisture from his beard He verily declared,

‘Many a watering holes Have I come across in my travels But ne’er has the water tasted as sweet nor as refreshing

Blessed be you Dear water bearer Not only am I quenched, I’m renewed There must be some magic With which you author your draught!'

‘Sire, it’s the heavens Which bring the rains, The stream which carries it herein I merely carry this from the riverbed What magic might I place therein?’

‘Ah foolish you, to not espy The spice with which you lace Your drink, tell me forsooth When you do serve water, do you not serve it with love and care?

‘Sire, your words fill me with warmth Your truth I dare not decry But pray tell me, if the heavens rained Months before, foretelling your thirst to rivers How can the author be me?’

‘There’s some wisdom In what you say, my man Water have I e'er before tasted Yet in this quench special Can you, your participation deny?’

‘Sire, the winds participated in taking moisture from the sea, the gravels of the river bed lent murmur to the draught True along with my goatskin, there also was I

But were it not for the Sun, Your throat wouldn’t be parched, Were it not for your dreams You wouldn’t have travailed to travel In this mystical cosmos

Wherein do we then draw the line? And declare whether the author was YOU or I? When the heaven decreed to rain with love Let us all also go about our day with love My dharma is to quench, yours is to travel

And perhaps the water and thirst between them for this moment's quench, had Authoured YOU and me?

  • Abhi