10 Mar 2022

Guardians of the River




 Two men unboarded the last bus to the village

Right after the bridge after 11 pm

After watching a movie in the town

They walked with torch showing the path

On a pitch-dark night

The frogs and crickets in the paddy fields

Let their presence known

They saw two strangers at the river bathing ghat

They jumped into the river and swam merrily

They asked, do you want to join us?

It is serene with cold water

The men asked the strangers

Who are you? We have never seen you before

Strangers laughed and spoke

We are the guardians of this river

For many years now

The men realized that their villagers used to remind them

If two men ask them to join in the river at night

Never jump into the river

As those were the ghosts of men drowned

In the river

So fond of swimming in that river

The men started running in fear and climbed the hill

They lost their torch and direction

The ghosts screamed and chased them

One of the men fell unconscious

The other somehow reached home

Those strangers still wait for people at night

At the bathing ghat

The legend continued and many more people

Saw the ghosts at night and ran for their lives 



This poem is based on a legend in my village. Image from iStock !

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