The sewers are overflowing though the monsoons are months away.
Our houses have been packed up; my pet monkey's gone astray.
The bodies in the streets, now ten, will double soon enough.
We really must hurry or getting out will be quite tough.
Quick burn all of the writing for no one can know.
Do not leave a trace of Sanskrit here when we go.
So hurry all my loved ones across paths of blood.
For no one shall survive when the Indus river floods.
---
So this is a speculative piece about Mohenjo Daro an ancient city of the Indus river valley (Harappan) civilization. Mohenjo Daro literally translates to 'mound of the dead' due to the fact that there were 40 bodies found out in the open with no visible cause of death. This was a very peaceful civilization so invasion was unlikely and a disease would have caused more bodies.
The poem also refers to Sanskrit which was their written language. No piece of Sanskrit has been found that is large enough to translate shrouding the society in mystery.
I hope my information in accurate and you enjoyed the poem. If you have any questions feel free to comment and I'll answer as best I can.
YOU ARE READING
The Lonesome Rock and other Poems and Shorts
PoetryWhat does a lonely rock think as it sits all alone? What does the last dandelion do as it waits to be devoured? What happened in the house on the hill?
