The tree monkeys giggled at their own antics. The first primate, in a dark blue t-shirt and shorts, covered his eyes, bored. Next to him sat two hysterical chimps bursting at the seams. The middle one of the bunch, the red shirted one, tried to contain himself but could not mask his cheery eyes; face aglow. The third one, with elbows on bent knees, was defeated by his own hilarity. It was hard for the threesome, minus one, to keep straight faces. This shameless riot was caused, not by their infectious laughter, but by the poor soul behind the camera – a diminutive man speaking a choppy talk and maintaining an appealing grin; never keeping his bobble head steady - the mocked tourist with scrunched-up eyes. Such wise (evil) boys!
__
The young shepherd boy lay his tired leg over the back of the water buffalo. The wind was blowing harder; his hair lightly tangled with the tall grass beneath tilted by wind. A fleeting storm was threatening the calm afternoon. The alert boy, with a wooden rod in hand, hung his leg (sandals fastened) over the backbone of the grazing beast - blind to the instability of a fierce horizon. It was time to find safety from the approaching downpours. It was time to gather the herd and secure then under cover: to seek refuge before the first thunderclaps echoed their energy and the cloud masses flooded the earth.
__
Adorned in pristine bell skirts and white floral headbands, the ballerinas assembled behind a massive stage curtain, lowered. Two stood coolly, veering their eyes off-stage. Around them an assemblage of angelic dancers mingled in anticipation - bent torsos, loose shoulders, and hair parted straight. It was grace at-the-ready. At the forefront of the class, a reflective prima ballerina. Her mind, fluent: each step, flow of motion and posture unfolding in thought.
Then, at once, the awaited gestured cue was displayed and the dancers arranged themselves fleetly. Her focus now in-tuned; her initial pose set when the giant curtain began to rise to an ovation of theatergoers.
__
Adrift, a lone man, in shadow, maneuvered his bamboo float across a tropical river. The aurora light highlighted languid ripples on a mirrored surface - an inky waterway. Upright near the edge of the craft, he grasped the oar - a long, wooden rod; probed under, and pulled himself ahead.
__
The elderly pair lay on the brink of jeopardy without shudder. With bellies on smooth stone; their kindling eyes on the calm depth below – a deep blue sea kissing the edifice in crests of foamy white. A reverent, graceful awe subdued. Blithe seized him in her embrace: a tender love of pubescent innocence now fully blossomed, complete. They were the remnants of the celestial rock, our earth: an undying love.
__
No comments:
Post a Comment