An excursion into dreams: A poem by Sanjukta Ghoshal

Bonfire by the beach, with mellow waves hitting the sand -

Under a moonlit sky, a perfect holiday, just as we had planned!

But the bluish-green verdure of the littoral woods,

Cajoled and beckoned, tempting us, from where she stood.

Like flies drawn to fire, we gave in to her charm,

And she guided us in, the gracious host, aloof yet warm.

A curious mist hung in the air, in a promiscuous allure,

With her enticing scent that reminded you of a princess, demure!

She ushered us in farther, into depths yet unexplored,

Where sat a pristine loch, crystal-clear to its core,

Where denizens of the woods, came in ones and twos,

To quench their thirst with water, as pure as drops of dew.

Night birds, rabbits and deer : all drank from the holy grail,

The elves and centaurs came too : creatures from fairy tales.

The moon, a glorious orb, graced the celestial scene,

The stars winked in glee, we wondered if all this was real.

We woke up on the sand, the next day, tired, sun-dazed,

Still marveling in wonder , lost in a dreamy haze.

About our excursion into the unknown, an unplanned detour,

A dream or a parallel realm? Of that, we're still unsure!