Rinchenpong, a Poem

I dreamt of a dream.
Lambent, like the firefly
that flew through the abode of
pine and firs
to befriend the cicadas.
An ode to silence,
they sounded like a thousand
wind chimes
clattering in the distance.

Innocent and wizened is the face of
the old lady from
Tibet.
Down the bend, she runs a
homestay.
Her palms reek of greetings and labour–
life is tough
a mountain lady knows better.

I was weary from the climb.
A child monk treading down
the slope,
with a giggle on his face
and a potli around
his arm.
How far is the dwelling of hope?
It’s just around the corner,
he said.

Prayer flags and rocky trails
adorned the enclave,
on which stood the ancient gompa.
A perfect blend of nature
and scriptures,
it overlooked the vastness.
A religious wonder, Ati-Buddha
sat in a meditating posture.
Unity is divine,
he symbolised.

The golden hour at Kanchenjunga
when the town wakes up
to a distant dream.
The little Lepcha girl helps her
mother prepare the filling for
dumplings.
Education in the city – her eyes glisten as
the Bolero cuts through nooks and
corners,
Tashi aspires of a garage in
the town square.

People are humble
simple are their ways.
The mountains rule the land
in the small town of Rinchenpong.

Divyangana Bhadra is presently pursuing a postgraduate diploma from World Wide Fund for Nature, India. She is also working as a UN Volunteer for Community Development and Sustainability Organization, Kenya. You can find her on Instagram @bdivyangana.

Featured image credit: Wikimedia Commons