The Song of the Ganges

From Himalayan peaks, where snow meets sky,

The Ganges whispers, a teardrop from on high.

A newborn stream, a gurgling, playful song,

Weaving through valleys, where life hums strong.

Through verdant forests, sunlight paints the way,

Her waters dance, with spirits light at play.

Ancient temples rise, on moss-kissed stone,

Whispering prayers, where echoes gently moan.

Onward she flows, a ribbon ever wide,

Nurturing the land, with grace as her guide.

Fields of emerald drink from her embrace,

Rice paddies shimmer, reflecting heaven's face.

Holy cities line her sacred shore,

Varanasi's heart, where life and death implore.

Dipping lanterns cast a flickering gleam,

A river of souls, adrift in a timeless dream.

Bells chime softly, a mournful, rhythmic sound,

As pilgrims bathe, in waters holy-ground.

Washing away sins, whispered on the breeze,

Seeking solace, finding inner peace.

Dolphins frolic, in playful, joyous dance,

As fishermen cast nets, a fleeting chance.

Crocodiles bask, on sun-warmed, muddy banks,

While children splash, with joyous, carefree pranks.

The Ganges flows, a witness to all time,

From empires fallen, to love's sweet chime.

She carries history, in her swirling tide,

A silent storyteller, where secrets reside.

Through bustling towns, where colors brightly gleam,

She carries commerce, a life-giving stream.

Boats laden with spices, sail upon her breast,

A tapestry of trade, where cultures find their rest.

At dusk, she shimmers, a river of fire,

Reflecting the sunset, a pyre's funeral pyre.

Smoke ascends, a prayer upon the air,

As souls depart, for realms beyond compare.

Onward to the delta, vast and ever wide,

Where land and water, in a tangled embrace confide.

Mangroves stand guard, with roots reaching deep,

A haven for creatures, secrets they keep.

Finally, she merges, with the ocean's might,

A bittersweet union, bathed in golden light.

The Ganges surrenders, her journey complete,

One with the boundless, the salty, the bittersweet.

From mountain peak, to ocean's endless hold,

The Ganges flows on, a story yet untold.

A river of life, of death, and all between,

A sacred song, forever evergreen.