TEMPLE of GRATITUDE

"Every living entity, especially persons in the human race, must feel grateful for the benedictions offered by the grace of the Supreme Lord." Srila Prabhupada -  S B 2.3.21

In many ways

I could sing

my gratitude to you,

the words could be

written on leaves

to be blown every day in the wind
as a prayer;

or I could incise with gratitude

barks and woods

as mementos, reminding me

how much I owe you;

or I could engrave my gratitude

in gold

like the love for the Lord

you gave us, that you spoke tirelessly of,

or I could mould my gratitude

in bronze

to make it strong, unfailing

like the shelter you gave;

I could also sculpt it in marble,

white like the purity and faith

that made you a warrior

without stains;

or I could take

the wood, the marble, the gold and all,

and with them inlay 
 the wall

of my temple of gratitude,

to endure time,

like the certitude

you've instilled in our souls

of a spiritual world;

But I have a stony heart

what can I do?

Since you see only the good
in whatever one has,

I carved in there, in stone,

my gratitude.

Even heart-shaped stones

last forever

and certainly – whenever,

can convey a message of love.

Your spiritual grand-daughter with gratitude, 

MadhavaLata dd