With the call of daybreak, they take a bow
The honeyed Tan huas** of my mind
Laced with silvery filigree
Interspersed with embroidered magic

The Queen of the Night bids goodbye
With the kiss of the crimson rays
Which caress her soothingly, lovingly
Before she parts with her whispering gait

What she leaves behind
Are those sweet remembrances
Of moments, traversing the dreamy highway
Indolently, regally, to a feathery destination

Creating those wondrous traces in my mind, and
Generating a well of hope during the day
Inducing me to wait patiently for the dusky lady
To usher the Queen in all her majesty

** Tan hua is a Chinese name for a plant which flowers only at night. The flowers have a short life span and wither away by dawn.

Subir Chakraborty / 9th July 2019