The dream of four nights

Your chesire-cat smile made the moonlight
a fire-well; I was diminished to ashes in which
you inscribed your name.

The following night you doused me,
we kissed till the rain stopped. You played
with sea-shells after the tide.

Third night I was facing a firing squad.
They all waited for your order which was never
to come. You cracked jokes with some, pulled
their cheeks, ruffled their hair
and forgave me.

On the last night the planet quivered,
a serious gorge cracked open between our hearts.
You smiled that benign smile of yours, and said
what can you do if the earth pulls you 
aside

Macondo

You can't see any of it today
those buildings made of clear glass
children running through their summer
in banana plantations
or ancient men waiting in a queue
for the want of a greener monsoon

You search the ruins like an ant
yet find no morsel of love
to feed you

Grave looking vultures perched atop
churches keep their vigil
memories cannot escape without being
gorged
the gypsies are a lost race
Spring wind sighs through the skeleton
of a wrecked ship

[ In memory of late Gabriel Garcia Marquez ]