The leaves widen
Like eyes wondering
At these forests filled
With inks of green
(No more line of sand
Merging with the sky)
The ferns like fingers
Splay in the sun
And the orchids hang
Like rainbows’ breath.
A hummingbird blurs
In air cooler than the river.
A dragon fruit peeled
Layer by layer
Reveals flesh that is moist
And red:
An explosion on one’s tongue.
****
Danton Remoto is the Head of School of English and a Professor of Creative Writing and Literature at the University of Nottingham in Malaysia. He was a General Participant in Fiction at this year’s Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference held in Middlebury College, Vermont, USA. He has published three books of poetry as well as a novel titled Riverrun. He is at work on a second novel as well as a collection of short stories.
Image credits: BM graphics: Job Ruzgal