Ashes

I wrote this poem after spending time at the main cremation ghat in Varanasi.

"Manikarnika Ghat is one of the holiest among the sacred riverfronts, alongside the river Ganga. It is believed that a dead human's soul finds salvation, when cremated here"- Wikipedia

A cow has diarrhea a couple feet away

Young puppies nurse on their muddy mother I breathe in the holy ashes as bodies burn

Over 200 souls liberated today

Normalcy and smiles

Men spit through red stained teeth

96 degrees

I watch in terror as a cow slowly eats two plastic bags, no one notices

Could I have saved him?

#Poetry #Ashes #NorthernIndia #Cremationghat #liberation #death #humanity #YogaBlog #TravelBlog #varanasi