New | Poetry | Tikuli Dogra and James Goddard

CHARENTE MARITIME-La Rochelle

Vowels

[A=green, E=blue, I=red, O=black, U=light & shade]

A

the fundamental colour of the world—of life a primal colour—a vowel in cryptic words

a restless chameleon after the rains semaphores with its many shades

to a fragrant lime tree—laden with fruit that waits for hands that harvest

E

hands that move through the light of day collecting the offerings of nature

from the earth and the lime tree nourished by the natural waters that flow from the rain-fed rivers

from rain drops to ripe fruit—a full circle

I

the flamboyant sunset that knows

that tomorrow—for a while—it will rule again absorbing warmth and light until it glows turning rivers the colour of blood and night and the limes the colour of verdant soil

filling the air with darkening hues of love

O

the summer sky stretching to the distant sea darkens as day moves into sombre night streaks of lightning crackle in the air compete with the stars to light the world the heat of day yields to the cooler evening the lime tree stands limned with silver

U

the cycle of days—of daylight and dark and the shadows that linger in between life and love—the finding and the losing the world’s heart—water—limes—the tree

the seasons that give—the seasons that take all fluctuating between known and unknown

Shadow Cat

shadow-cat prowled the silent streets 
where light and darkness fought a war 
nothing stirred, but fallen leaves
and the hobo curled up by a door
I watched as darkness shifted slowly 
I felt the wind blow cold and raw
along the street her hard eyes flickered 
glowing red like hell’s own coals
silently the darkness stretched around, 
between the moonlit streets there 
she stalked the edge of light 
the darkest creature of the night
I stood there peering in the stillness 
as she stole the pale moonlight
a silent ghost, out seeking prey
a wraith of frost and mist and hate
leaving only her frigid darkness 
chilling everything it touched
and her paw-prints faintly glowing 
as she walked in winter’s frost