Only Their Love Remained
by Urvi Shah
In April’24 as I sat quietly with a friend, I saw the image of our ancestors being trapped under the ground and the blossoming of flowers as they were released. I tried turning it into a story but the words refused to flow so I let it be. Recently, very effortlessly, I was able to translate the images into a poem for children instead.
After I finished writing, I understood even more deeply how the negative actions and deeds of our ancestors and those who come before us deeply influence the land we live on and the course our life takes. And, it is only when we choose to express the beauty of our hearts that these influences are slowly transformed and freed.
A girl walked on,
The ground beneath her,
Was hard, cold and forlorn.
Yet, in her heart a light shone,
A light of love,
Soft, gentle and almost like gold.
As her feet touched the Earth,
Voices from underneath arose,
“Free us, free us!”
They whispered, they roared.
She stumbled a little,
She staggered, she gasped.
But somewhere she knew,
She must not give up.
So, as she walked,
Feet firmly on the ground,
Through her heart’s soft light
Each voice, faint and loud flew out.
The ground beneath her loosened,
Sweet flowers bloomed,
Roots grew deep,
Springs burst through.
The girl walked on,
The Earth was changed.
She thanked those who had passed.
Now, only their love remained.