The Ruba'Iyat of Creteil Lake - Part One

The Ruba’iyat of Créteil Lake – Part One Lone gold Venus nears the sickle moon in the late autumn sky She lies naked dreaming with one leg tucked under her thigh The pallor of her silvery skin simmering with tide A lone white swan trundles on one webbed foot heaving a sigh Her tiara of amber and halogen loose by her side The gold-braided brocade and studded raiments on one side Gushing tresses hang loose by twinkling broaches on her back Heady scents from pubic island and dark armpits fester inside Wintry winds sweep through weeping willows tickling her fancy Sway clumps of yarrow stalks huddling fearless coots in colony She turns and heaves a sigh thinking of Old Khayyam’s ardour Stars in his eyes and ruby red wine coursing through glory Over the mobile hips and seductive slopes of her hills Come calling Canada geese and wild duck in squawking trills All messengers from Tundra’s ever clasping hoary past Will she remember you O! Omar! when freezing water kills The hoar frost wheezes under-foot along her silken robes And the lone otter dares not venture out in his last throes Even the sea gulls swoop no more for deep hugging blind fish While she slumbers through blared Canada geese trumpeting oboes! © T. Wignesan – Paris, 2013