Day Twenty Eight-NaPoWriMo – Let it Roll On – A Poem Inspired by Chenda Melam

NaPoWriMo: today’s prompt (optional, as always). Music features heavily in human rituals and celebrations. We play music at parties; we play it in parades, and at weddings. In her poem, OBIT [Music], Victoria Chang describes the role that music played in her mother’s funeral. Today, we challenge you to write a poem that involves music at a ceremony or event of some kind.

Today’s poem is an experiment in rhythm, repetition, and musical energy. I drew inspiration from chenda melam, the vibrant percussion ensemble tradition of Kerala, where sound, tempo, and movement build in waves. This is my first time trying something like this, and I found the process both exciting and meditative. Here's the poem:

Artist-Devassia-Devagiri

Day Twenty Eight-NaPoWriMo – Let it Roll On
A Poem Inspired by Chenda Melam


Let it let it let it roll on
let it let it let it roll on
let it let it let it roll on
let it let it let it roll on

drums and sticks and drums and sticks on
drums and sticks and drums and sticks on

let it let it let it roll on
let it let it let it roll on

look here, look here, look here, swing on
look here, look there, look on swing on
let it roll on, let it slow down
let it trumpet, let it go on

swing here, swing there, let it move on
swing here, swing there, let it move on

let it let it let it roll on
let it let it let it roll on

bells and cymbals, cymbals play on
bells and cymbals, cymbals play on
sway here, sway there, let it cling on
sway here, sway there, let it cling on

let it roll on, let it speed up
let it roll on, let it speed up

letitletitletit rollon
letitletitletit rollon
letitletitletit rollon
letitletitletit rollon

Note on Chenda Melam:

Chenda Melam is a traditional percussion ensemble performed during temple festivals in Kerala, India. The central instrument, the chenda, is a cylindrical drum played with sticks, known for its deep, resonant sound. A full melam can involve dozens—or even hundreds—of performers, creating intricate rhythmic layers that build slowly in speed and intensity. The result is a powerful, immersive musical experience that resonates not just in the ears but throughout the body. This poem attempts to capture a fragment of that energy in words.

Let me know what you think—or if you’ve ever tried writing with rhythm as your guide. This year's NaPoWriMo is concluding in three days! 

Thanks for reading!