Slow Life

I had to earn my slow life,
after years adrift 
in the ocean of chaos.

Now I can watch a single leaf
spiral lazily in the wind,
Let the water soak my feet
and feel it quietly withdraw.

I no longer wait for Sundays,
restfulness now spills 
into each day of the week.
I can hear the melody of a bird
and let its song gently linger.

When I go to places now
I truly see them at leisure,
exploring with calmness.

I cannot measure how much youth,  
peace of mind, and laborious hours
I spent to arrive here.

Now that I have this slow life,  
I would not trade it  
for all the riches in the world.

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Mitra Samal
Picture Mitra Samal

Bio: Mitra Samal is a Techie turned Poet and Writer, based in India. Her works including poems and stories have been published in The Hooghly Review, Muse India, Borderless Journal, Madras Courier, The Chakkar, and Kitaab, among others. Her poem was shortlisted in the Poetry Society India’s Contest, 2017. Instagram @am_mitrasamal and on X @MitraSamal. 

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