Contributor: B. A. Varghese

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Light
leaps from the sun,
dancing downward to a green
swaying forest. I fly with the birds in, out,
around leafy branches of the tall noble trees. A
mother swallow warms three tender fledglings under
her wings. Alive by wind, the trees rock to her song of glee.

My careless cigar relights a smothered campfire. A spark
grows into a blaze, ripping the forest. Smoke hides
light and fire cuts in to dance on life and leaves
behind ash, soot, silence. Under
a charred wing, emerges
a baby bird
alone.


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B. A. Varghese graduated from Polytechnic University (New York) in 1993 and has been working in the Information Technology field ever since. Inspired to explore his artistic side, he is currently working toward a degree in Creative Writing from the University of South Florida. His work has appeared in Apalachee Review, Rose Red Review, The Camel Saloon, Foliate Oak, and other literary journals.