REAL BEAUTY

AS I GAZE AT THOSE MOUNTAINS

THEIR, LOFTY HEIGHT

COVERED WITH SNOW AND FORESTS ALIKE

A QUESTION COMES TO MY MIND

IS THIS REAL BEAUTY?

OF COURSE, REPLIES MY INNER SELF

NOT ONLY DO THEY TALK TO THE CLOUDS

AND HAVE THE WINDS BLOWING IN THEIR EARS

BUT THEY TALK TO US TOO

WHISPERING INTO OUR EARS

A MESSAGE SO PRICE-LESS

THAT IT WOULD SHAME A MINE FULL OF DIAMONDS

THEY TELL US TO CROSS ALL BARRIERS

TO GO BEYOND THE GIVEN

TO CONQUER NEW HEIGHTS

TO BE ON THE TOP, YET

FEET FIRMLY ON THE GROUND

YES, THIS IS REAL BEAUTY , I SAY

LATER, AS I STAND BY THAT TRICKLING STREAM

COMING DOWN THE HILL-SIDE

AND THAT SWEET, DISTINCT DELICATE SOUND ACCOMPANYING

IT MAKES ME WARM INSIDE

BUT THEN AGAIN, AFRAID OF BEING CARRIED AWAY

I ASK MYSELF, IS THIS REAL BEAUTY

YES IT IS, REPLIES THE ALL KNOWING CONSCIENCE

ALL OF US ASPIRE TO GO HIGHER AND HIGHER

AND IF EVER WE LOSE OUR FOOTING

AND STUMBLE BACKWARDS

BECOME CREST-FALLEN

LOSE ALL HOPE AND GIVE UP FOR GOOD

BUT LOOK AT HIS STREAM

IT HAS SEEN HEIGHTS

WHICH NONE OF US HAVE EVER

YET WE FIND IT TRICKLING DOWN HAPPILY

STILL AS CHIRPY AS EVER

NEVER GIVING UP , NEVER LOSING HOPE

AS IT PASSES BY, SLOWLY, YET STEADILY

TELLING US YET ANOTHER THING

IT TELLS US TO KEEP MOVING ON

NEVER TO STOP, NEVER TO STAGNATE

BECAUSE, TO STAGNATE NOTE IS TO DECAY,

AND TO DECAY IS TO DIE

YES, THIS IS REAL BEAUTY, I AGREE

ON MY WAY DOWN FROM THE HILLSIDE

IN TALKING LONG STRIDES DOWN THE MEANDERING PATH

I CROSS A VILLAGE GIRL CARRYING FIRE WOOD

AND FOR AN INSTANT, MY EYES MEET HERS

AND IN THAT ONE INSTANT

EVERYTHING BECOMES CLEAR AS CRYSTAL

HER WALK IS AS DELICATE AS THE STREAM

HER FACE GIVES A FAINT GLOW

PURE AND CLEAN, LIKE THE WATER IN THAT STREAM

HER EYES TALK OF THE NUMEROUS DREAMS,

OF UNFULFILLED DESIRES

SHE HAS LEARNT HER MISSION IN LIFE

WHATEVER IT MAY BE HOWEVER SMALL IT MAY BE

LIKE THE MOUNTAIN SHE ATTEMPTS TO RISE

THOUGH HER FEET ARE HARD ON THE GROUND

AND THIS TIME I M ABLE TO SAY ON MY OWN 

YES THIS IS TRUE BEAUTY.