And They Asked Me...

And They Asked Me...

As I was walking to the river of silence,

I felt a questioning presence behind me.

Turning around, I caught sight of children.

And the children, they asked me:

“Tell us why you look so merry?

Why, when you smile, does life smile too?”

I heard the wind sing to the secluded willows;

I saw the moon blow a kiss to the morning sun;

And the children, I answered them:

“What is happiness, if not man’s forgotten sister?

What is a smile, if not God’s ray on my face?

My friends, let simplicity guide you.

Pick up a stone on the ground and keep it.

Caress the grass and feel its potency.

Grab my hands and never let go.

This is my answer to you. Godspeed!”

As I was looking at the stormy sky,

I felt a friendly little tap on my shoulder.

It was a faithful man.

But on that day, he had lost hope.

As I was gazing into his eyes, he asked me:

“Tell me why nations wage wars constantly?

Why, when you speak, do people listen?”

I looked at him tenderly, aware of his qualms,

And the faithful man, I answered him:

“What is peace, if not man’s choice in life?

Aren’t Heaven and Hell of our own making?

Love yourself first, because affection for others

Is a matter of self-knowledge and faith.

Mark my words, friend! Only when you pour out

Your heart to them, will they start paying attention!

This is my answer to you. Godspeed!”

Journeying back to my beloved mountain,

Memories rushed into my ageless mind.

I remembered the doubts, the aching;

I relived the passions, the new beginnings.

The summit was still a little too far,

And night was falling in front of my eyes.

Soon, the stars would reveal another truth.

The air became crisp and clear; my heart rejoiced!

And to all the questions in the world, I answered:

“Now is the time for self-discovery and life.

Let us forget about death and misery.

There is no end, only a peaceful creation.

I will dance in the rain, sleep with the storm.

My children will speak of divine delight.

I shall be the power of their own confidence!

This is my answer to you. Godspeed!”

(Unbroken spirits

find harmony in full flight –

let them stay alive!)

©2006 Cendrine Marrouat

This poem is my entry to the Mythmaker Challenge organized by Vocal in July 2023.

Theme: "Write a myth to explain the fabled origin story of why something exists."

"And They Asked Me..." is inspired by The Prophet and Jesus the Son of Man, my favorite books by Kahlil Gibran. In it, I imagine how two specific conversations with a wise man gave birth to the story of the prophet.

Thank you for reading!

---

Cendrine Marrouat is a writer, photographer, podcaster, blogger, anthology editor, and the co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms and A Warm Cup of Cozy. She has authored and co-authored more than 40 books, including The Train: A Short Story (2023), In Her Own Words: A Collection of Short Stories & Flashku (2022), After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine (2021), Rhythm Flourishing: A Collection of Kindku and Sixku (2020), Walks: A Collection of Haiku (2019-2020), and In the Silence of Words: A Three-Act Play (2018).

Cendrine's work has appeared in many publications. She is the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, and Reminigram; as well as the co-creator of the Kindku, Pareiku, Vardhaku, and Hemingku.