In the Silence of an Owl

In the silence of an owl
a night dreams
as we gather our shadows
going further than we have ever been
Every step a virgin footfall
and around us
a tempest slowly rising

Hands reaching for hands
to hold on to
while thumbs explore lifelines
Words pushed away
to let balmy breaths in
to etch tumultuous tendrils
within fathomless hollows

The storm rages unabated
till the night lets go of her secrets
till glistening beads dot the canopy
till the rising smoke declares a forest fire
till twin sighs escape the spent covers

©Reena Prasad

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Fear the shadow

 

Image©Reena Prasad

 

Can you feel the overflow
A shape spreading hungrily on the night street
tip-toeing up from the corners of dim-lit walls
flattened relentlessly
under the busy tread of feet yet inching closer
The dark strokes of desire
at the terminus of outstretched shadows?

Me and my obsession are out on the road
to get to you if you ever step beyond
Even if you don’t, these desires will curl up
into rasping grains of flying sand
to be swung up by the willing shamal
and flung against you from every porthole.

Reena Prasad 30th April 2013

Blue moon

This luminous float I see
teasing sparkles into desires
that have never really
surrendered to tame rust. 

 Beautiful while it sails
A round ship in my fluid darkness
 stealing glances, winking
 in moments that belong to us alone

 we of the old, trusting tribe
 bathing in the light together
 when the tide was high 

 knowing that giving was forever
learning that possession was death
 loving in the pauses
 between conversations
 that never led anywhere 

 flecks of light borrowed from the moon
I still collect them in my dream
 for lighting your eyes when they say things
 with fierce pride and tenderness
 you never required to 

Why do I now smile
when the young and guileless
 sit around waiting for a blue moon.

 not knowing that it is fated to be blue forever
 when their grayness sets in
 and they chide themselves
 for not seeking it out while it was red?

©Reena Prasad  31st August 2012

Wings

 In the stillness of a moonless night

 a thought takes off in search of a fragrance

 flitting noiselessly from the shadow of a tree

 to the bench that once was bathed with love

 No moon unveils itself to show it the way

 to the valley where it had once slept

 among some flowers of hope..

 It wanders up the night sky,

 resting briefly on a floating cloud

 too fragile to bear its mournful weight

 As the night moves towards a silvery dawn

 the orphan returns home

 to the sleepless cove

 from where it often flies

 in search of a lost scent.

© Reena

Night

A little smile basks in its own radiance

finding its mojo away from sunlight

 Small whispers that had lost their way

 in the cacophony of life

 now dreamily float

towards welcome destinations

 A sigh meets its match

 in the alleys of a tender heart

 A nod finds a quiet embrace

 A tune that remained suppressed

 tossed over by more urgent voices

 now breaks into a free melody

 The soul leans back in peace

 resting weary wings and aching feet

 merging into the soothing noises of night

 Worry and hope get engaged in secret dreams

 Petals close gently easing out the drowsy bee

 Night too rests in the gentle arms of sleep.

©Reena

Moonlight

 

A little path leads

 beyond the shadows of tall trees

 where drenched in moonlight, you wait for me

 leaning your back against the hard bark

 and I blend silently into the shadows that pray

 for the moon to gently wane

 so that you see not me, my dearest love

 as I bask in the love that lights up your eyes

 Wait for me, my eager heart

 for though you may leave like the truant breeze

 let me savour this moment sweet

 drag it as long as the clouds linger

 shielding the jealous moonlight

 from falling upon love’s first sight.

©Reena Prasad. May 2012

Scent of a dream

A single white flower

bloomed underneath the silent window

Reaching out with its scented fingers

To where my dreamless world lay asleep

A gentle fragrance of love, of loss

Became a caressing throb

Singing with sweet refrain

through black tresses spread over white clouds

Burying barely veiled desires

I read your poem again

finding my name everywhere

The words which lay cold till now

Burning me with their desire raw

listening as the written words revealed

all the stories that were never meant to be

The yearnings ran deep

shaking all pretenses of sleep

Yet  knowing once again

This night too will come to an end

though away, far away from me,

I try to shut out the insistent strains

of my own sighs and your silence

Love remains beautiful still

but only in a dream

can I be free to whisper a name

blooming red on forbidden stalks

Drenching the humid night sweat

with the scent of a hidden nishagandhi.
©Reena Prasad