Under Jade Mountains, Cloud Shadow

Flower-gardens in the rain, petals washed away, rain falling in the pond.

Frogs hiding, long hours, summer afternoon. Lighthouse, the ship- sunlight on brick on summer-lightning’s tongue. Tendrils of ivy on topiary trellises. Still the sampan goes down river, past buffaloes and mountains of the sun. Horns of the beast rippling with crinkled crumple-horn-rimmed speculation in orbic magnification. Smoky blocks of tea in the market, kettles, fruits unknown. Under Jade Mountains, cloud shadow. Under cloud shadow, Jade Mountains. Cloud over mountain, over air over earth. Forest quivers as monkey climbs higher. Rain in the East- the first drops falling into the tea-bowl…

Under cloud shadow, quiet presides- then thunder crackles and roars between the peaks. Gurgling waterfall draws colourful birds; a sage observes. Rain-curtains sweep across the mountains and valleys, grey sheets of water-element mixing with air. Water presides, and the crags run white with rivulets. Under Cloud Mountain, shadow of jade glows green. Down the river, past wallowing cattle, floating long hours. Tendrils of lightning’s tongue flicker petals of pond-water tea-bowls. Monkey splashes in the pond, slurps from tea-bowl, nibbles on rare lotus-shoots and runs shrieking into the trees. “Aboo! Aboo!”

Published in the street by The Invertebrate Press…