A Kaleidoscope


I woke from sleep to bright day
sprang on my feet and walked down the way
lined with green grass and yellow hay
roses and marigolds in colourful play

_________________________________________

First I espied a group in gay dance
merry faces in fortune and happy chance
the air was rich with the fragrance
of baking bread and hot croissants

A host of Epicurians!!!

The men there were of great charm
with loud laughter and voices warm
and lovely damsels with flowing braids
honey on lips and wine in eyes

They sang a strong and loud song
which rang in the ears for long
a clear stream below flying swallows
gurgling a tune in its sand lined shallows


I heard their voices, smelt their ale
and myself rejoiced in that vale
and thought, in mirth's assure
what indeed is life, but pure pleasure!!!

__________________________________


I walked further, my steps fell lightly
but as I walked, the grass thinned slightly
the land grew poor and the clime fiery
ravens croaked and wolves howled dreary


The land of plague and misery!!!


Crushed men sat in broken poise
discarded ones of destiny's toys
crowding sunken eye and hollow cheek
did their defeat and deformity speak

The air reeked with the aromas of decay
hunger and drought in deadly ballet
the trees dropped their arms in thirst
scum of creation that nature curs't


The silence of their lament tortured me
doomed souls never to walk free
and I thought, in penury's breath
what indeed is life, but naked death!!!

_______________________________________


But as I cowered in illness and fear
a mild breeze blew from near
music flitted through dry reeds
waking from stupor long buried seeds

A man walked into the plagued land
with sprightly step and laden hand
from the merry vale I'd earlier been
of fond memories and leaves green

His robes were of bark, his skin dark
in moonless night bright spark
but his eyes, no man could bear to behold
for they flashed like fire, with might manifold

With one hand he held a basket of bread
and the other, a cask of seed
the gushing river followed him slaking
the thirst of the land and its heart raking

Nightingales didnt sing, neither did flowers bloom
or this one arrival kill entrenched gloom
but the land looked up, the hungry eyes lifted
the despair of long, hope slightly shifted


I woke for the third time, third and last
neither a burst of laughter, nor a lament of fast
what indeed was life, but love that never did cloy
and what indeed is love, but measureless joy!!!

__________________________________________