The Dragonfly King

Written with my dear friend, Kishan Patel

He rode upon the back of the dragonfly
Upon the wings of Spring
To the ancient waterfall
Where he sat down to sing
There among the jade green, the silver stones
And stormy peace
Among the twisted arms of
The peepal tree
Sat one whose face he could not see
One humble bow in that direction made he
And rested by the nimble, celestine waters
With boyish, dangling feet
And with the lilt of the ancient waterfall
Mingled his sandalwood tones
Dragonflies zipped like woozy comets
Through the intoxicated atmosphere
The firmament was jeweled by their wings
Amarantine, sapphire, aquamarine, peridot
Some shimmering scarlet as the heart of the rose
She drew away from the peepal tree
Leaving where gracefully, imperiously she tread
A laughing stream
Though unnerved
He continued to sing
"Who be you that you dare every day with the birds to compete?"
Asked she
"I am one well known to thee, my Queen"
"Child, never did we meet"
"I am the dragonfly that from your Mother's heavy hand you did save...then were you the Child"
"How can this be?"
"Draw nearer and look, Fairest One, at me"
Iridescent was his every-color'd skin and silver, dew-covered was his hair
Thinly veined as the dragonfly wing
In those eyes gold-black as Sun lay Time sleeping
"I know thee" whispered she and took to gentle weeping
"With thy Love, thou saved me, and for thee alone do I sing"
Eyes silver as the fish in the pool gazed steadily at him
"I have loved thee since that very day...and died have I many times to be what I am-
To be able to offer for thee"
A hand out held he, which the sun striking,
Filled the skies with thousands of rainbows
A dove flew out of the peepal tree
Bearing a ring with glee
In his outstretched hand it dropping
And nuzzled against the lady's cheek
"Would my Queen do me the great honor of bestowing upon me her lily hand - for I do declare that my heart and mind and soul with Her do overflow and forever do I to Her pledge me"
"She would" replied the River-Daughter
And in that instant were they wed
Witnessed by Sun and Earth, Sky, Waterfall, and Tree
Celestine her dress iridescent shone as the dragonflies clung
To the dress of River-Daughter
They rode upon the back of the dragonfly...
Upon the wings of Spring ......
To a land where the daffodils sing
And every season is forevermore Spring
Ruled by the River-Daughter and Her Dragonfly King