THE FULL MOON AT THE RIVERBANK
Poet: Krishna Bhusan Bal
Publisher: Bani Prakashan, Biratnagar
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~The Full Moon at the Riverbank ~
Looking into the mirror
of emerald meadow waters,
the moon has flashed a fruity chuckle.
tickled by the gentle touch of a breeze
the water spreads into wavelets,
and the entire moon appears to be an infant
swinging in a slow cradle.
the water birds,
as if to jab their beaks through the moon,
fly out of sight, fluttering their wings.
the trees across the river stand
as if to shoulder the whole era.
lamps flickering in the houses big and small
on either bank adorn like the stars.
the horizon closing in gradually has
descended to envelop the hill of the bank.
the moon now crossing the yonder region of waters
has come down to rest atop me.
I wonder from where have gathered
The clouds like a flock of sheep.
The sheet of the full moon is
Spread across the meadow of waters,
Which the clouds have pulled over themselves
As if it’s a furry pasmina shawl.
The switch to turn on and off
Each of our sparkling moments
Is probably caught there, in the hands
of these clouds.
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pasmina – a fine hand-woven woolen cloth.