1st Place
The Wonder in these Drops
Why look around, high and low
During times of confusion and strife?
Stop spinning too fast. Wait! Go slow.
Learn from Water, the ways of life.
Attitude, like that of a Spring,
Rising against nature’s law,
Against storms that times may bring.
In a hurricane, like a piece of straw.
And just like love, the First Rain
Paints life with a euphoric shade,
Undying and wildly insane,
Never to diminish, never to fade.
Let wisdom like a great River flow.
Adding from the past, moving ahead.
Tinged with humanity’s glow,
To lead one and not to be led!
Anger like a Flood, a roaring Sea
Brings forth calamity in its wake.
Dark and fearful, it may be.
The very foundations of existence it can quake.
Finally consider a drop of tear.
Silent, yet more than words can explain.
Countless emotions are portrayed here,
Sorrow and joy, laughter and pain. |
2nd Place
Water: A natural wonder-the forgotten lessons and the lessons to learn
In the year of twenty ninety in Israel Sat an old man revering his past longing for rain and hail. His grandson came up and gave him a soda, "Oh! Get me some water," said the old man, "this thirst is unquenchable with this artificial soda." "Water? Oh yes, they say the salty oceans are made of water. Long time back there were some natural streams flowing with non-salty water. My teacher said, in Iceland snow is made of water! But how could you ask for it when we cannot reach, As we neither have money nor are we close to glacier, snow, river or beach?" Tears filled up in the old man's eyes, "Mother Nature warned, and now the world is paying its price." "Price? What price is the world paying now? Am I missing some valuable lesson of life, if so, please tell me how." The old man stood up and told his grandson a beautiful story, A story of his own past when he was enjoying his youth's glory. "The world was completely different from what it is now, The grass was green grazed by the cows, The forests were filled with the trees and animals, The nature was perfect with no artificial and man-made cannibals. The rivers, the oceans, the glaciers and the snow, Maintained a consistent harmony with impeccable water flow. The trees helped in getting rains, The rains filled up the water table and helped farmers produce the grains. The fresh water added up in summer from the snow and the glaciers, Every living being was happy and with normal behavior. But, Mother Nature was warning us then, Water, air and soil pollution was rising up by scales of ten. She said, 'If you do not take drastic measures now, You will regret it later and I will show you how.' Water, in its pure form can do wonders, But man kept continuing his blunders. The water cycle affected the rains and the seasons, Around the world were floods, storms and tsunamis because of these reasons. The desert was showered with snow, And the coldest regions faced heat stokes and blows. The Earth cycle changed, With human's failed attempts, the natural system got deranged. Now we are living in a world of artificiality, Here kids like you do not know the water importance in totality. We have to buy water and pay for something That was free once but we considered it worth nothing! Farming is affected which affects the production of food, Fresh produce is rare and expensive and everyone survives on canned food. The seasons are not specific and credible, As when they were, we did not appreciate and considered it incredible. We have to take showers with such frugality, As when it was plenty we wasted the water with insolent brutality. Even now, a lot could be done, If not for this, the next generation will have water fun. Save water my child, As mother Earth gave us this unique prize So do not waste it and use it wise." |
3rd Place
Entrenched In Thought
Entrenched in thought
Torrential flood
Passions ride the air
Nucleating drops
Cloud the mind; release the blood
The fluid stalls, does not stop
The lucid calls, do not stop
The flow of life liquid knows
The supply of strife, viscous lows
More wall than wave
I have wandered in
Lost in damp, collective breath
Glides us through and releases stress
Echoed veils conceal and form
Motion harnessed in gentle storm
Soothing oil in sheets amass
Run forever along the glass
Vanguard blood, the fiercest love
Alastor’s sublimation, the pure breath
Hope’s indoctrination
All bodies nourish
Symbols of us, drown in self
Poor image cast, ripples on ripples
Mirage the force, first and last |
A watery Spring
The cycle of life fills
this dark empty abyss
with seasonal streams
blending life and death
between forgotten memories
and the newer paths
the unmistakable cloth of light
here and now
when Spring begins.
Snow becomes powerful waves
shadows bent with time
centuries carving shapes
mountains and rivers the same
another season of water
in its most precious state
the liquid cradle of life
soon it will be gone
and the dark times will come
winter will be here again.
The moment is now
when water runs high
and blossoms burst out
life doesn’t end or begin
it follows the eternal cycle down
where deep canyons, streams and rivers
converge into a single note
of beauty, colors and soul
the cycle of life fills
this dark empty abyss
with seasonal streams
and colors of us all. |
The Water Rules the Stressful Night
The waves are Crashing, against the Sea Shore, in the middle of the night!
I feel the Swells as the ocean's creatures are bothered from the awakening.
Sleep sleep sleep and maybe it’s just a dream
Sleep sleep sleep and pretend it’s just pretend
The waves are Crashing against the Bay, and the breezes turn to screams!
The animals screech! and find any reprieve to all the noise and rocking
Sleep sleep Swim, and maybe you will find rest
Sleep Sleep Swim, and Maybe you Will find rest
The waves are Thrashing and Threaten Still! With wintry Bellowing
I hear another in the Night, fighting to survive the mishap pending.
Sleep Sleep Scream, “The night will eventually end!”
Sleep Swim Scream! for our lives have been spared as of yet.
The Water Rules the Stressful Night |
What Happened to the Water?
What happened to the water
The water
The water
What happened to the water
The water so wet
It mixed in with the dirt
The dirt
The dirt
It mixed in with the dirt
And turned into mud
The mud got on my shoes
My shoes
My shoes
The mud got on my shoes
And I walked inside
I walked across the carpet
The carpet
The carpet
I walked across the carpet
And Mom got real mad
She sent me for some water
Some water
Some water
She sent me for some water
To clean off my shoes
What happened to the water
The water
The water |
The Beach and her…
My love is the one between the shore and the waves.
One that never attains its purpose and never complete,
Also, one that is pristine and never concedes.
She is like the shore, calm and stable
Interspersed with intriguing dots of personality
Like intricate shells and the occasional rock on the beach
The beauty of hers reflects radiantly,
Like sun bouncing off the sand – blinding
Sadly, I’m the wave that knows the shore is not too far off
But can never reach its destiny, traveling forever.
We never meet for more than a little while every time,
Only to come back to each other no matter what
We shall never blend, probably
‘Cause that’s how God meant us – hence the beautiful beach……. |
Crecida
Even in the desert
There is water to trickle down
The mossy beards of stone-faced sages
Collecting in green ice pools
Where shrieking children plunge and touch bottom
Soft clay that warms with the sun
Hatching larvae and heralding thunder
Of water as conqueror
Returning with the rain to lift boulders
And sweep away juniper
Tendrils of silt spread across the new dawn |
