The Island and the Lagoon

“The Island and the Lagoon”

The beach, interrupted abruptly by the square motif of the landscape

A school of tiny, glittering fish flicked hither and thither

The irregular arc of coral the lagoon was still as a mountain lake

The palms, still stood made a green roof, quivering a tangle of reflections from the lagoon

Blue of all shades and shadowy green and purple.

Little breezes crept over the polished waters

Swaying in the sunlight

Within the diamond haze of the beach

Spots of blurred sunlight

There was silence

The tide was low, the air bright

Stillness descended on them: suddenly

Echoes and birds flew,

White and pink dust floated. Then

The isle was still. Again.

"Shut up! Wait! Listen!"

The assembly was silent.

The wandering breezes or perhaps the decline of the sun,

The space under the palm trees were full of noise

The breeze was a river of sparks

The bushes were dark evergreen

And aromatic and the many buds were waxen green and folded up against the light.

They were in the beginnings of the thick forest,

Plonking with weary feet on the track.

Feeling too late the smart of sunburn.

The tree trunks and the creepers

The creepers had woven a great mat that hung at the side

Only the faintest indication of a trail here

As if something’s behind you all the time in the jungle

The silence of the forest was more oppressive than the heat

A multitude of raindrops patting

A typhoon perhaps, or the storm

Now the antagonism was audible

As the echoes died away

There was silence

4, 6, 7, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 25, 39, 41, 42, 45, 52, 53, 57, 61,