Trail of the Sky

The sky is pale blue, with golden rays
streaking past, interspersed with pink clouds
that signify the approach of dawn-
which is a sight too early
to be appreciated by people ensnared
in the world of dreams

The pink dissipates, the sun rises higher,
growing light from golden yellow
Less ethereal, more earthly,
the clouds regain their original pallor
of white against azure
But a remnant of the moon, an almost intangible sliver
hovers in the sky
although hopelessly overshadowed
by the sun

The rays of the golden orb, once gentle
increase in their intensity,
as the sun resumes its stately, arched path
A blinding white, much too glaring
for people to bask in the reflected beauty
of the clouds, of the water
when they seem to echo the shades of the sky

The sun grows weaker, less dominant
as it withdraws its rays of dazzling light,
making way for the lesser celestial objects
miles and miles and miles away
Slashed with orange, darkened clouds,
the sky seems to smile as it boasts its beauty
From a line of soft gold of the horizon, to orange
to blue, to the endless violet
that extends up to the heavens

Against the backdrop of midnight blue,
the moon shines freely, free from the tyranny
of the sun
Sprinkled with stars that glow faintly,
the sky emanates an aura of serenity
that encourages us to close our eyes
and awaken to the harmony of dawn

Petrichor

She looked dismally at the darkened skies
that loomed over her
and poured rain in relentless sheets,
drowning everything around her
until she could see nothing but water,
as she peered out her misty window
and absorbed the dreary, unwelcoming scene
with unhappy eyes

The clouds hung lower, expelling the light,
suffocating her,
ensnaring her in the trap of darkness-
devoid of beauty or radiance,
until she could bear it no more
She curled up, as she waited for the rains to calm,
for the dissonant sounds of the crashing drops to appease,
for the wall of darkness to evaporate
so that she could breath freely again, in a world
unhindered by the chains of a vehement deluge

                                        *                                    *                                    *

Golden cascaded from the heavens
in a shower of sparkles
that carved their way across the sky,
reaching the eyes of the earthlings,
throwing light on the verdant trees,
on the broken branches, severed twigs
too weak to withstand nature's wrath
She stepped out of her home carefully, rather warily,
inhaled deeply
and beamed

It was lovely... disarmingly persuasive
as it lured her down the steps, to the grass,
beckoning her forward, to bask
in one the gifts that is bestowed upon the earth
after a downpour that follows unbearable heat
Breathing in the scent of the bygone rain,
of the indefinable, strangely abstract
fragrance that lingered around her,
clinging to her like an ethereal spirit
as she walked under the canopy of trees
Looking up at the sky,
the benign, innocent, cerulean sky,
she dallied about, careful not to miss
the magical scent emanating from the ground,
from the grass, from the trees-
the petrichor

Artificiality

Published in Canvas Literary Journal


A made-up countenance, blooming with the hues
of artificiality, of vivid colors
that appeared unnaturally bright,
accentuating features, brightening shades
that never existed

She erected boundaries around her mind,
to shield herself from the dangers
of criticism, of the perils
that accompany an endless list,
a growing list of insecurities

Pale, sparkling cheekbones,
beautifully defined eyes and lashes,
A ruby red pair of lips,
wielding an insincere smile-
her defenses against the arrows
that pierce her confidence, her will, and her faith
in humanity
She effortlessly brandished-
a shallow laugh, feigned words of praise,
hollow demonstrations of friendship
thereby symbolizing the insincerity
of what surrounded her

A splash of cold water- fresh and invigorating...
she felt her face revert to its natural color
A sparkling stream cut down her face
as she rid herself of the pretensions she waved
every hour of the day,
every day of the year,
every year of her life

She looked at herself for the first time-
at a natural blue, rather than glowing sapphire,
at a pale pink, rather than violent magenta
at a soft peach, rather than vivid orange
She saw herself for what she was,
and the beauty that she possessed
that existed free of the shackles of artificiality

Truly satisfied for the first time,
she took a step back
and allowed herself a smile

Fury

Thunder struck, she rose from the clouds
a towering figure, incensed and proud
The winds moved at her command
deadly lightning struck with an order of her hand
Fire cascaded from the tapestry of the sky,
the gale blew with a recurring sigh
Waves clapped fiercely against the shore,
turmoil and chaos, the planet wore
Mountains crumbled to the cracking ground,
cries of the creatures were mercilessly drowned
by the mayhem, the havoc, all the uproar,
by the lashing, battering rain that poured
from the reddened sky, a horrid red-
with fire and tumult, the earth had wed
Her fingers were clenched, her eyes gleamed,
she willed her forces to raze and scream
Until, that is, she closed her eyes,
shielding her gaze from the crimson skies
so she was exposed to the calming dark-
a conflagration that subsided to a mere spark
A cold breeze blew, seeming to calm the fire,
water prevented the flames from rising higher
Her fury calmed, she took a breath,
of her misunderstood anger, that was the death
The dark skies cleared, light took its place,
nature renewed its dance of grace
Screams vanished, smiles appeared,
the golden sun was shining and revered

The Moonflower

(Picture taken from http://suzumehime02.tumblr.com/post/96614204304/moonflower-the-flower-that-only-blooms-at-night)

She ran about as a child, across the field,
in which a number of flowers had woefully keeled
Despite sweltering heat the night revealed
dangerous beauty- the moonflower

It seemed to glow humbly, shimmer pale white
setting the dark sills alight,
Magic and charm which filled the night
did emanate from the moonflower

On her table, amid books in many a pile
it glittered with disarming guile,
its petals open in a charming smile
that was boasted of the moonflower

As she grew older, as she would dine,
they would stand before her in an obedient line
She dimmed the lights to bask in the shine
provided by the moonflower

On downcast skies and dismal, gloomy days
when life and beauty seemed to be razed
It would fill the dark room with undeserved praise
quite pleasantly so did the moonflower

When her hair could be compared to its petal's hue,
she fluttered her eyes shut at last, it is sadly true,
she managed to catch a last glimpse of the view
that was proudly filled by the moonflower

Rays of Dawn

Forthcoming in "Wilderness House Literary Review"

It was dark and tempestuous,
shadows crept out of crevices
leering menacingly
The bright eyes of night creatures
gazed at her- ominous and threatening
The moon was cold and distant,
white mingled with silver, dispassionate, hostile
The stars blinked maliciously
eyeing and mocking her and her fruitless struggles
to escape from the forest
They twinkled and shone faintly
deliberately gleaming weakly,
so that she may lose her way once more
The trees towered over her- skeletal, gaunt,
they loomed portentously, offering a branch
for sinister, baleful critters to perch on
and direct their unswerving gaze at her
The leaves rustled purposefully,
as if their sole aim was to expose her position
Trees camouflaged with the darkness,
behaving like a wall of black-
an impediment to her progress
to escape from the forest
Nocturnal animals howled, communicated eerily
with sounds unearthly, with glittering eyes
did they perceive the doe
With haughty mockery did they consider
her feeble attempts to return home
She flew through the forest-
the cold, foreboding forest
She leaped about for endless hours,
lost, bewildered, confused
Until there came the ray of light,
slicing though the sky in a shower of sparkles
indicating approaching dawn
The doe sat up hopefully, looking at the
lush, green trees, amiable creatures,
cordial birds flying about
Carefully, retracing her steps, she found a path
to escape from
Heaving a sigh of relief, she looked up gratefully
at the shimmering sun, and its golden light
that had guided her to safety
from the forest at night

Evanescence

A shimmering phenomenon
bestowed with a panache of shades
hovering rather unsteadily, as if doubtful-
does it deserve a place in the sky?
Does it deserve to shine against the endless blue,
competing with the floating clouds-
pure white, glinting light
So it scintillated with a soft, tremulous glow-
formed from the shards of water
akin to freshly cut diamonds,
that had been penetrated by the golden rays
emanating from the stately orb
hanging serenely from the tapestry of the sky
A delightful arc, a harmony of hues
blending together so immaculately-
creating wonder, joy and beauty
effortlessly and thanklessly
It cut an arch across the sky, through the white
across boundaries, borders, minds
reaching the admiring eyes of all
Yet- it is hopelessly subdued, mellow-
susceptible to disappearing with every blink
A light drizzle, a sudden squall
could mean the demise of this gift of color
How poignantly ephemeral, how pitifully rare,
deigning to appear once in a blue moon
when nature’s forces blend in a euphony
of charm, hope and love-
arrives the melody of a rainbow

Coloration

'Cerulean is the shade of the lapping sea,
ivory is the delicate page of a melody'

She began reciting, unrehearsed were her lines,
she looked about for inspiration, for a meaning, for a sign
Her avid gaze fell on the sill,
shielding a plant from the bitter chill

'Chartreuse is the shade of an emerging leaf,
ebony is the hue of an intricate motif
The hydrangea bears a periwinkle blue,
pale green envelopes the honey dew'

Her eyes wandered, curious and bright,
gleaming with a passionate light
She caught sight of swooping, descending birds,
whose agility made their presence blurred

'Black onyx is the lithe, playful crow,
its eye twinkling with a sapphire glow
Vermilion is the color of the base of a fire,
which turns amber as the sparks rise higher'

The soft shine of twilight seeped into the room,
its beauty ably dispelling the gloom
Calmness and serenity dominated her mood,
thoughts flowed freely, she forgot to brood

'Amethyst is the horizon of the sky,
culminating into indigo as it rises high
Crimson reigns in the setting sun,
along which silver light rays run'

She proceeded steadily- smooth were her words,
strengthened by the shades of which she had heard
She described her life, the encounters, the views,
and added color to them through the vibrant hues