Journeying South Poem by Salil Chaturvedi

a thousand miles
down the western ghats
winding up thick mountain thighs
rolling down moist valleys
into the gurgling lap of the mysterious female

always a left turn
to the bridge over the river
that stretches like a smile
out to the sea

stopping in the middle
leaning on the railing
silence all around
the river thousand-tongued below

in the dim light
the pleasure sounds of creatures
the wind passing
through my hair

the black curve
of an ibis beak
bends the evening light

we lie down on the roof of the car
and watch the rest of our bodies
in the sky.