It isn’t a sunny day today
when you spot
pigeons against a dreamy blue-
and miss the sparrows
or even crows-
when your thoughts escape
like little white sails
in a cloud trail-
but today
you outstretch your hands
to hold the clouds
in raindrops-
cold, wet-
look at those huge fronds
of coconut palms
shivering-
all those mango flowers
determined not to fall off
swaying with the wind-
and you are thinking
of the war clouds
storming-
over your borders-
it isn’t a sunny day today-
Oh, no, not sunny at all. I love the contrasts, and love the open arms:
“. . . to hold the clouds
in raindrops-
cold, wet-
look . . . .” To see, even in the shadow.
Lovely writing Sumana. I FEEL the tension and your worry about the war clouds. You express it so beautifully.
The war clouds storming……….the worst thing humankind ever invented. I can feel the palms shivering, see the flowers clinging on………beauty, menaced by the drums of war not far off.
The war clouds are as real as breath in your poem Sumana. This is so poignant
Much🌻love
A sad poem having to deal with the war clouds is beyond comprehension
but some beautiful images I love “pigeons against a dreamy blue” and “thoughts escape like little white sails”
I can feel the sadness that flows out from those last lines Sumana! A beautiful and poignant poem and I especially love the line, “thoughts escape like little white sails in a cloud trail”….simply lovely writing!
It is so sad to hear of the rising tensions over Bangladesh. I do hope that open warfare can be avoided. It is very imprtant for poets to write of current affairs so hopefully we can learn lessons for the future.
I can feel the tension in your words and storm clouds can be worrisome.
Clear skies here, hot, dry…very hot, very dry and yet clouds of war… wonderfully written, Sumana.
Today, in too many ways, the sun is drowning in un-sunny. We must be mango flowers, bright and determined and holding on to our tree for dear life… waiting, working, fighting for sunnier days.
I really love the musicality of this. I found myself repeating lines like this ones: “like little white sails /
in a cloud trail”.
Oh Sumana, your poem is affecting. I hear the speaker’s preoccupation, and rightly so. For, war clouds storming so near are certainly of huge concern.
“it isn’t a sunny day today-” but I hope sun behind the clouds will stay put like “mango flowers
determined not to fall off”
Not a good situation. Hope the twp sides can reach an agreement. Fingers crossed.
Nicely written but somewhat sad
So beautifully written….prayers that no war clouds happen…