Daydream of a North-westerner

 

Smudges of gray clouds fill the evening sky

Shades of blue roam in the gaps by and by

The western sky wears a halo of orange and pink

A necklace of black birds glides neatly and in sync

 

The usual dance of the northwest sky?

 

A fragrant wind rustles thru tall white eucalyptus

A sprawling tree under the sun is fiery orange and lustrous

A sprinkle of rain comes and goes from clouds unseen

A rainbow emanates from a white cloud, only half and lean

 

A regular spring afternoon of the northwest?

 

A neat dirt road winds up a squat green hill

A slender beauty walks and sings and runs at will

The song is of a cool breeze, trees and of the sky above

Her voice is soft and languid and surely of one in love

 

A familiar trail in the northwest?

 

Lo! The heavens brood, clouds gather up and thunder

The breeze becomes still in a soggy humid mixture

The slender damsel mounts a scooty and disappears

The Gulmohar slumps, the necklace in disarray, as it pours

 

It is no northwest!

But a regular monsoon day in the tropics!

 

 

Note: Northwest refers to the Pacific northwest. The poet gets impressions of the northwest all around him, but it is just a daydream.

 

 

Abhay B. Joshi

June 2014