My face comes right up close,
For the scent of flowers,
In the crystal vase.

The flowers with glittery tints
Of orange, red and green,
Look like rarest birds to me.

The pure white lilies
Are an endless stream,
Making sweet melodies

In the crystal vase.
Oh! I adore those white lilies!
They yield a feast of light

I absorb their whiteness.
I feel the lilies' petals
Between my finger tips.

A throng of roses - perfect and pink.
With what savage utterances!
Moves as best might suit harsh reality!

Straightaway, the bright ones -
Sound the knell of life's impermanence!
My own impermanence

All hung in gloom,
I move away quietly
From the crystal vase.

Dubai
2012

Geeta Chhabra

From the book: Smash My Glass by Geeta Chhabra