Today I Think

the birds are mine

rather they are me

returning to myself

in the evening

and then this

green parrot

in the tree

before my house

climbs up

a thin branch

I look at its

small body

its red beak

as dusk falls

and I burst

into the moon

and stars.

Life Ran Towards Me

and hugged me

till I was overjoyed

every pore of my body

felt the beautiful blue sky

passing through it

and then it rained

and I sang

as the trees danced

their leaves fluttering

delighted

and later dusk arrived

like a friend

and we shook hands

laughing

and soon the moon

kissed me on my lips

and I became the universe

glowing with love.

I’ve Got Happiness

in my heart

peace flows

in my blood

and the air

I breathe

spreads such silence

within me

it leads me to oblivion

and slowly I find

I’ve become a bird

flying through

the forest

and soon

I am singing

and it is dusk

the evening light

fading so beautifully

I look up in awe

and a thousand

moons light up

the sky.

The Tulip Trees

are in bloom

flowering orange

and the children here

run about and are cycling

in the evening

they are having

so much fun

and as I near

my house

after passing

Sunil’s store

and saying hi to him

the boys are playing

badminton

and as a team wins a point

there is this roar

and my happy heart is thrilled

and I soar into the sky

wildly in joy

and as I reach the Earth again

I say hello

to some familiar spectators

and then go down

my lane

and my maid Amini

and her friend Amini

are coming

up the road

and the green trees

and mountains

fill my eyes

with their

peace and beauty

while I turn

into my gate

and as I enter

my house

I now find the sky

waiting for me

and it embraces me

and I turn into a bird

and begin to flutter

my wings

and I disappear

into the calm darkness

of the dusk.

White Cow

grazing on the grass

how beautiful you look

and the children cycling

and the women chatting

in the dusk here in Kumily

as I pass by Sunil’s store

and say hi to him

as he says hi back to me

is simply delightful

and the road is like a person

it has such character

and when four or five cows

are ambling across it

they don’t look like

they belong to this world

it’s like they are skating

across the darkening skies

and the green mountains

are so full of love

they wave goodbye

and I wave back at them

and smile before

I go into my house

and then I find myself

inside the moon

inside its silver

soothing body I rest

as it embraces me

like a mother

and I sleep.

The Evening Is So Peaceful

I can feel the Earth rest

in the dusk

I experience

its comfort

in my body

in fact I become

one with the world

as the birds chirp

and the wind blows

and I feel it is all

part of me

and a dog barking

down the street

feels like the moment

is forever

its innocence

is the air we breathe

and the beat

of my heart

is joyful

life’s great moments

and then I realise

why this is so

the evening

is an old friend

from long ago

and it loves me

like a brother

and later at night

the moon appears

who is my lover

and we make love

under the cover

of the dark sky

in each other’s arms

melting in such

an ecstasy of kisses

the stars shine

and smile

in silent happiness

and every heart alive

who feels this love glows.

The Bulbul

is beautiful

its small body

its helmeted head

its brown white

red black colour

its wonderful songs

yesterday so many of them

were in the trees around us

on the terrace

Claus Omana and me

and there was so much warbling

it was so nice

and there was so much breeze

for so long

it was so relaxing

so enchanting so mesmerising

I felt refreshed

I felt I was a magical creature

in the mountains

lucky to hear its silence

I felt I could be a bird

and sing and fly

in the sky

and I felt entertained

by it

there were such beautiful clouds

and there was light

at first

which was burning yellow

and golden in the white

and gradually that gave way

to a silver shaded dusk

and the breezes blew

and I looked all around

at the mountains

and the trees

and thought

how gorgeous everything was

the big black and white butterfly

and the children cycling

how happy they were

hi each one called out

as he cycled by

hi I said to them

on my way back home

and now as I write this

I hear a pecking

at my window

and as I get up

to investigate

the source of the sound

I find a bulbul there

and as I watch

it flies away

singing those

same sweet notes once again.