Thus Spake the Moonstruck
- Deep from the Soul -

K. Radhakumar *

The evening danced, swaying its hip
To the music of the gongs from the temples.
The colour of the air stood out
And it was sweet smelling too.
I knew night jasmines, white in colour
Had opened nearby;
Romantic scent wafted across the garden.
The moon went for a walk by the moonlight
And stared for a moment at its own image
Reflected in the water of the garden pond.
A delicious languor
Induced by white lilies in full bloom
Was stealing over the little earthly paradise.

One terrible night
I was suddenly wakened -
Thunder crashed in the sky
And it was pouring with rain.
An owl was hooting -
It must be sitting
On the wild fig tree by the rivulet.
The night sky sent back echoes
Of the country dogs barking.
I never knew
Our cock was an untimely crowing cock
There he was -
After beating his wings in the air,
He crowed and all the cocks
In the henhouses of the village responded
And out crowed our cock.
That night I got the fright of my life.

It was a bold and confident start:
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Birth going to school job security
marriage perpetuation of race
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes
terrorism life insurance -
The king was ultimately checkmated.

Before he kicked the bucket
He saw and became one
With a beautiful moonlit night
And he was prepared to steal it
From us and take it upstairs.
He was also drunk with
The bitter-sweet memory of a dark night.