Abode of Peace - I

[A tribute to the philosophy and idea behind Shantiniketan, brain child of Rabindranath Tagore.]

You teach us in an open air classroom.

You make us place our palms
over the red earth, make us feel
the moist years of a leaf-blade.

We sit under a canopy of mighty
trees, bathing in a filigree of sunshine.

We tour the sky, sailing in vapour
boats. We dance with dried leaves,
embrace the wrinkles of Khoai.

A ribbon of date palms that ends
the horizon, sends us faint, very faint
beats of a santhal drum.

We whisper to each other, "can you hear it?"

The soil, the windows stuck between
branches, repeat your oratory in rhythm.