GEORGE MATHEW

 

 

Estuarine Peace

 

She begins a helpless infant, pure and wide,

a gurgling stream with nothing left to hide.

She gathers strength in sunlight and in rain,

humming sweet refrains, she laughs at strain.

 

With patient force, she flows ahead,

wearing down the stones that lay widespread.

She moves in languid curves o'er rocky beds,

in joyous, foaming knots she tosses her heads.

 

She meets the cliff—does not protest or stall—

but pours in silver lace, a graceful fall.

Then, standing once again, she finds her way,

a wild, carefree laugh to greet the day.

 

Now matured, her charm is in her pace,

her deep, rich curves, a serpentine grace.

A waltzing glide, both stunning and serene,

a powerful beauty, without a motive mean.

 

Not proud, nor stoic, simply sure and deep,

toward the final peace her currents sweep.

She knows her goal, the ocean's vast release,

and flows to meet it, in a pious peace.

 

So may we learn to flow as she runs free,

and meet our hazards with such energy.

To hold a purpose, fixed as her own tide,

and move through shadows, with her trust as guide.

 

To accept the journey, without regret or strife,

and find our destination in a well-lived life.

When will we learn from patterns nature weaves,

that ego is the root of all that grieves?

 

I watch the river, hear her soothing sound,

her merry laughter on the stony ground.

In her calm current, solace I have found,

a mighty wonder, on which I am bound.

I long for that same innocence, unbound,

to simply be, and in that being, crowned.

 

The Majesty Of The Himalayas

 

In the Himalayas' majestic heights,

A world of wonder waits, a symphony of sights.

Water's gentle touch, a beauty to behold,

In every form, a treasure to unfold.

 

Ice-topped peaks, snow-clad trees, and drizzling flakes,

Languid streams, and thundering river giants in their wake

The music of the water, a melody so sweet,

Gurgling, giggling, and humming, a symphony to greet.

 

The emerald hued pines, the cedars tall and grand,

The soft psithurism, the fragrance of pine cones in hand.

The villages and towns, bustling with life and glee,

Apples and berries, sweet and varied, a treat for me.

 

But standing in Himalayas' grandeur, a truth began to bloom

The importance of pause, and humility.

Look up, and you'll succeed, look down, and you'll fail,

In life's journey, too, we must climb, with courage and prevail.

 

Success is a slow and steady pace,

Don't be hasty, lest you lose your balance and fall from the pace.

Look up, and you'll find, the beauty that abides,

Looking down, you'll see only dirt, and step aside.

 

The awareness that what I seek is within me lies,

No worldly possession, no shore can bring me peace that sighs.

I sought fervently, but couldn't find,

Until I looked within, and left all snares behind.

 

Self-respect is the ultimate wealth, we all need,

Love oneself more than anything, then we can love indeed.

Let's join hands, and bring out the best in each soul,

And the world will be more beautiful, with love that makes us whole.

 

GEORGE MATHEW

 

GEORGE MATHEW, known by his pen name George Of The Woods, is a poet and retired teacher whose verses are reflections of a life richly lived. Now 75, and a postgraduate in English Literature from Agra University, he writes as a seeker, not a preacher—finding poetry in the quiet corners of life, in friendship, and in the everyday moments that shape our humanity. Guided by nature’s rhythms and a lifetime of reading and travel, his work carries themes of resilience, kindness, and the timeless search for meaning. His words are meant not to instruct, but to accompany the reader as a gentle reminder of what truly matters. He continues to write from his home, surrounded by books, memories, and the trees that inspire his pen, celebrating the beauty and quiet strength found in a simple, open heart.