When Sun Met Moon-by Niranjan Selvadurai
The Sun uncurled at the break of dawn
On a mist-veiled, drowsy morn;
He stretched his golden rays in a yawn
Past the waking hills and beyond.
From the corner of his amber eye
He spied, at heaven’s edge on high,
A silver maiden, hushed and pale,
Drifting beneath a shimmering veil.
The Sun spoke across the foggy gloom,
Gallant in his dawning boom:
“I have not seen thee here till now —
Fair shining one, who art thou?”
A whisper was heard with a touch of fear:
“I lingered longer than most nights here.
In velvet dark I freely roam —
I am the Moon; the night my home.”
“I’ve heard of thee, sweet queen of night,
Crowned by stars in sparkling light.
Night is thy realm — yet day is mine;
Why step beyond that fated line?”
“Though stars abound, I wander lone at night,
I’ve heard of thee — thy glory, warmth, and might.
So I lingered for one glimpse of thee,”
The Moon murmured soft, yet tremblingly.
The Sun blushed deep with crimson glow
And leaned where Falcons glided below:
“Fair one, I’ll meet thee ere next dawn —
The heat of day bids thee be gone.”
With quiet radiance on her face,
The Moon drifted with silver grace,
Beyond the hills and oceans blue,
Enraptured by that promised rendezvous.
“The Sun and Moon are planning a date,”
A high-flying Falcon told his mate.
“Soon none shall know of day or night —
Oh, heavenly Fathers! Guard our plight.”
As whispers passed from shore to shore,
Dawn lingered longer than before.
The tides below stirred restless and slow,
Strange winds forgot which way to blow.
- Niranjan Selvadurai
About the poem: A celestial fable in which the Sun and Moon share a fleeting moment at dawn, drawn together by longing despite the laws that keep their realms apart. Their shy exchange, is heard by a Falcon.
