Dawn

The morning star rolls on fading blue

(persistent as the dream of perfect love

born with the human mind).

Jasmines bob in the morning cool.

Night

The closing of a window

Is the downing of shutters on desire.

On rejection

Masquerading as temerity.

Take the morning for a walk

 1

Take the morning for a walk

for before you know he will grow into a scrambled young man

whose streets evaporate into diesel choked chaos of honking tin buses

sullen taxis and abusive autos

who now own the city roads

Streets that find themselves at dusk

on a bridge overlooking a drain that was once a river

seeking the shot of life from garish masks

that were giggling, school girls

once upon a time

Or in dark, smoky, blind lanes in slums

to seek respite in opiates

with shadows who become friends

            2

Or hold her hand and make her sit on your balcony

(fragrant with jasmines she had planted twenty years ago)

overlooking the waking street of your friend the crow

perched on the skeleton of your childhood

headless streetlamps.

Wrap her fragile, sleepless body with all your love,

reply to each question five times

patiently,

she had such unfathomable patience

for a helpless you in an unrecallable past

            3

Take the morning out for a walk

for, despite the greedy dwarves all around you

that pour filth on the day, all day and night

browbeating, tricking, the trusting true

for half understood, elusive, unsatisfying goals,

Maybe it will lead you to a golden afternoon

with butterfly girls

and happy tired sleep with

dreams of marbles and tops.