Oh Varanasi

The most spiritual city in India - Varanasi - will leave an imprint on your soul. It is a hard dirty city that's not for the feint hearted - on must see beneath the layers.

Be ready
For Varanasi

Complex Layers
Traditions Stand
Holy City
Furnished with rubbish
Of the Land

Holy Cows
own the streets
Never go hungry
With the scraps they
Eat

Saddhu's bless
Ask for rupees
Lining the Ghats
In the river
Ganges

Muslim, Hindu
Buddhist, Christian
All denominations
In the city of
religious wisdom

Burning bodies
Ceremonial Chimes
Dhobi Wallah's
Wash in
Ganges lines

Indian people
Fight for existence
Living, just living
No fighting
No resistance

Varanasi
So raw so real
If a Hindu dies here
Nirvana the
Deal

Oh Varanasi
You've a life beating flow
Let's me sink into your depths
let's see
How deep I can go

Author's Note

Written on my phone in a hotel in Agra ... Haven't written in a while - Varanasi was calling ...

Reviews

[Einstein Noodle]

i am sure many more inspirations will flow from your wondrous filled trip ;) you let me be there through your poem and my good friend Wiki ;) had to look up several of the terms .. especially appreciated learning more about the Dhobi Wallah's .. i read they considered themselves the highest of the scheduled castes .. wow! they wash clothes!!! i also read they make up about 6% of scheduled castes .. so thank you for sharing .. my morning experience has an added depth and a new sense of my own spec place in the world .. :)
E.

[KWP]

he E - thanks for stopping by - in Rajasthan now and finally the do has dissipated and once again I am blessed with a full moon and blue skies - this trip is reminding me to ask myself who I am ... Off to Jaipur by train tonight xx

[Einstein Noodle]

a wild ride i am sure .. the moon is so bright and full here as well .. fancy that ;)
E.

[Tech]

Flawless flow I followed the words like a fish going down stream lol.

[KWP]

Tech - ! You are back - happy new ear to Ya xxx thanks for reading - it was a quickie whilst I am traveling cxx

[Tech]

But of course! And yes I'm back and starting to write more often so I'll be on here more as well. I can't wait to start catching up on your writings again. Happy New Year to you as well and I hope your travels are safe and enjoyable. Drop me a message when you get some time and keep producing writings like this for the good people of writerscafe to enjoy, :) XXX

[R Smith]

written with some love and passion i would say Elizabeth, have you much longer to go on your journey, i have kept a look out for your facebook journey, you have traveled a very spiritual road i believe, i'm sure you have enjoyed every second of it :)

[KWP]

Hey Richard - cheers for reading - it's a tough travel in India - but yes of course you are right - I love every second for what it teaches me xxx

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i have never been there, but somehow you had me right on the street feeling the pulse of this city...

terrific imagery in this poem.

[KWP]

hey Jacob thanks for reading and Happy New Year to you xx