Leafless trees and dusty paths baking in the March Sun,

Came the unwarned Cloud and covered them all.

Sun gave in and surrendered his might,

Mellowing the Sun, Cloud smiled.

Beheld ‘Palasa’ from the wayside hedge,

With the rouge of the Sun and swaying in the breeze.

Full of color without any scent,

Asked the Sun and the Cloud to take the hint.

The Sun is fixed, Cloud ephemeral,

The chasm is there and the danger real.

There can only be present and no future,

And at the end lies guilt, hurt and a mighty furore.

Their eyes saw it but their hearts ignored,

Their minds were free, and their hearts unshackled.

The Sun and the Cloud the Cloud and the Sun,

Shed their fear while treading the path well known.

*

Jay Jagdev

March 11^th, 2006