Midnight Rain Poem by DEEPAK KUMAR PATTANAYAK

into midnight, well past
With no stars and moon in sight
Since the dusk stole in
The sky looked silvery and uncertain
Only I could see clouds
Happy as flamingoes
Dancing to the tunes of their prince
With ankle bells tied around calves, it seemed
For there were sounds pattering on the ground
Soft, gentle and pleasant
And I thought
It must be tears of cloud
Shed in joy of motherhood
And while falling
Distilled into serenade and twinkling
Stars and tinkling beauties
Upon lands of lights and melodies
I opened the window
And what I heard and saw
Mesmerized me
And my sleeping eyes into awakening like petrel on the sea
To an act stately
I had been longing to see stealthily
Lest admonished for daring into her mysteries
Of rainbow pearls, silver lighting and percussion tones
Of texture so grand and serene nature rarely shares with us
All in an open stage symphonized to christen
One of her children
Though caught unawares reveling in pleasantries
And there were no dignitaries
Yet she thought I was watching
Embarrassed she tuned the tones down and flashing
Softened yet I watched and watched till
The melody of cuckoos awakened the day king in a distant hill