Shamasis Bhattacharya

As the world transpires into a moonlit desert —
Chilled, veiled in grey with hints of colour unfurled.
Pale luxuriance of thorns sketch
The serene horizon's edge.

The cool breeze from the dune's soft hollows
Carries hope, a whiff from distant seas.
I imagine walking barefoot,
On the boundary of worlds.

Plunging into the icy surf,
Under a sky embroidered with stars, boundless —
Like a scorpion trapped within a glass bowl,
Eager for dawn's light to flood the shores.

Dawn darkens, yet another ray of hope
Tinges the scene, not from textbooks but
From the scent of winding, muddy paths
Through the brisk desert air.

Following a trail where trees and grass stand united —
Tall under the dusky moonlight,
I journey towards the horizon,
Skirting the shoreline's edge.

Rustling leaves on the moist earth,
Tulips sparkling beneath a hidden door,
Butterflies crawl over forgotten wounds —
All poised to transcend into another realm.

Through the rusty keyhole, dreams take flight on a balloon,
Bidding farewell to the world below.
Off to distant lands on mountainous terrain,
Where rocky strands meet sandy shores.