Our Daily Heaven

a poem by Aparna Ramnath

Is there not joy in nature’s great wonders
That greet us with calm, then rolling thunders,
In the quiet slumber of the darkened night,
At the break of dawn that brings us light.

In the horizon that meets the foaming seas,
In the scent of the air that bathes the breeze,
In the vibrant show of colours in the bow
And the twinkling stars that up there glow.

In the clouds that stretch to coolest blues
And the blushing blooms in all their hues,
In the lush green meadows spotted with dew
And the ice-capped peaks for all to view.

In beaches of sand and sun-kissed valleys,
In flowing long rivers and floating white lilies,
In the silent darkness of the deep, dense forests
And in humble reaping of the season’s rich harvests.

In the unsung melodies of humming birds
And the lazy dance of grazing herds,
In the gush of the wind that lashes the tide
And the fleeing of flocks that beg to hide.

In the waters that fall forming a fountain
And the snow that lies scaling the mountain,
In the piercing chill that tickles our vein
And the joy that comes with showers of rain.

In the shivering zones of the frozen poles
And the heat that warms most aching souls,
The hopes of hearts to heights do soar
At the sight of these and many more.

Who then said that heaven is up above,
Beyond the skies and beyond our reach,
If we look to see and hear to listen
We have no cause to deny our Daily Heaven.