The Sound of Morning Oars

In the early hours, before speech begins, the river has a voice of its own. It is a quiet murmur against the wooden hull, steady as a heartbeat. We look for grand answers to complicated questions, but the river offers only simplicity: keep moving, give way when needed, and trust the path that gravity has carved through the stone.

In ‘Young Dreams Along the Rail Tracks’, Shahnaz Parvin shows us that beauty does not need to shout to be unforgettable. I am grateful she stood by the water to preserve this fleeting grace for all of us.