A man once tried to emulate the tale
contained in the epic poem of Kālidāsa.
He asked a passing cloud if it would convey
a message to his lover many miles away.
Once he had whispered his ardent words
the cloud promised to travel
and discover
the location of his woman,
and to deliver
the message to his lonely, distant lover.
The journey there was arduous and long
and the cloud traversed for many leagues
buffeted and blown by winds so strong
over mountain ranges and across the glistening seas
over icebound glaciers and deserts dry and hot
above forests and rivers, meadows and fields
until finally the cloud arrived at the very spot
where the man’s lover was revealed.
Sadly by now the cloud had long forgotten
the words it had been entrusted to keep
and in its bitter grief and deep frustration
all it could manage was to weep.
Steve Wheeler © 25 January, 2021
image by Steve Wheeler
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