Dreaming of Chaikhana

First let me just say:

Congratulations for surviving the Ides of March, everyone.

Whew, that was one long weird, exhausting journey! I had been to one of the heaviest hell weeks of my academic life. Struggling to read thick books to finish final papers. I reviewed lots of books amid headaches, dizziness and occasional eye strain for final exams too (which happened last Thursday). So exams came and I was able to answer the questions, tough questions. The exams lasted for 3 hours. But here I am now, recovering slowly but surely.

To celebrate this victory, let me offer a poem: to life, to love, to passion, to all of you reading this, may we all find courage inside our hearts as we move forward in our journey.

The Fountain / Denise Levertov

Don't say, don't say there is no water
to solace the dryness at our hearts.
I have seen

the fountain springing out of the rock wall
and you drinking there. And I too
before your eyes

found footholds and climbed
to drink the cool water.

The woman of that place, shading her eyes,
frowned as she watched -- but not because
she grudged the water,

only because she was waiting
to see we drank our fill and were
refreshed.

Don't say, don't say there is no water.
That fountain is there among its scalloped
green and gray stones,

it is still there and always there
with its quiet song and strange power
to spring in us,

up and out through the rock.