Illustration Friday...."Carry"

Back in middle school I read this beautiful poem by Sarojini Naidu who is also known as 

"The Nightingale of India"

...and here is my illustration for this delicate and lovely poem

Palanquin Bearers

Lightly, O lightly we bear her along,
She sways like a flower in the wind of our song;
She skims like a bird on the foam of a stream,
She floats like a laugh from the lips of a dream.
Gaily, O gaily we glide and we sing,
We bear her along like a pearl on a string.

Softly, O softly we bear her along,
She hangs like a star in the dew of our song;
She springs like a beam on the brow of the tide,
She falls like a tear from the eyes of a bride.
Lightly, O lightly we glide and we sing,
We bear her along like a pearl on a string. 

poem by: Sarojini Naidu

Me and Myself

Sitting alone by the sea one day,

I saw a figure not far away.

“Hello”, I said in a friendly tone,

And then I saw it was me, or was it my clone.

To see myself, I was surprised as could be,

I thought she looked younger, this other me.

She dived in the water and swam like a fish,

Oh to swim like that, was always my wish.

Strangely I felt as though I was there,

Deep in the water, swimming without a care.

Her eyes were twinkling; she gave me a smile,

I followed her gaze, but may be the gaze was mine.

We collected shells and pebbles gleaming on the sand,

Her palm was so smooth, or was it my hand.

Then a trick of dusk at the end of the day,

She seemed close as a breath or did she walk away.

I stood quite still, her whispers in my head,

Her voice rang softly or was it something I had said.

There is magic in every moment, in every way,

That’s what she said to me, and I said to myself that day.

Illustration Friday...."Gesture"

Walking by on a still night,

In the soft moonlight,

I saw a lady in a tree,

Or did the tree just gesture to me?

A dance of joy unfolded then,

In a moment all was silent again.

She is still there, the lady in the tree,

You would see her if you were me.

Scattered leaves

Like dreams

On the grass

As they float

Patterns so varied

Remind me of

Thoughts in Solitude