Sunset

The title says it all, really...

Sunset

The wind howls softly, in the coming twilight, 

As it caresses the leaves of the coconut palms

That dot the coastline and the beach, 

As I watch from afar. 

The skies turn ever red, 

Violently colouring the darkening skies, 

As the sun begins its descent

Towards the western horizon. 

Red, orange, gold, aspen, 

The colours fill the open skies, 

Like long streaks of paint

Added with the loving hand of a master. 

The skies start to turn lighter blue now, 

As the coming night sets in. 

More lights fill the skies now, 

The lamps that illuminate the park, 

As well as the lights

Coming from the nearby shipyards and docks.

The vibrant hues still fill the air, 

Now darkening at the sides, 

From red to a deep, dark blue,

A perfect background

For the couples that watch this sight

As they hold each other tenderly,

For the friends that watch this

As they set up their barbeque pits,

For the families that watch this and marvel, 

As they set up their tents for the night,

For the islands in the distance, 

As the fading light shrouds them in mystery and intrigue, 

And for the kelongs nearby, 

As the sea laps against their wooden stilts,

And the light illuminates the far side 

Of their rooftops. 

It's getting late now. 

I should get home.

And as I walk back, 

The colours seem to recede with me,

Eventually dwindling to a deep violet, 

A perfect frame for the entire magnificent spectacle

Yet so overlooked by everyone else. 

Author's Note

A kelong (pronounced kay-long) is a wooden house on stilts located in the middle of rivers or a short distance away from the coast, found throughout Southeast Asia. A kelong is normally not found on its own, as several are often clustered together.

Reviews

[Dinesh Sairam]

Such a descriptive and captivate poem. The imagery unfolds in a slow fashion before the readers' eyes. So beautiful. One thing - I felt you shouldn't have used

"It's getting late now.
I should get home."

It'd been better if you'd ended it in a dreamy haze.

[Cynthia]

OH, thats so beautiful! The desciptions of this poem is amazing and gets me into your poem! Also, the imagery inside the poem is so full fill! I love the way you have descrpe the nature so beautifully it is very relaxing

[trainwreck]

I love how a sunset can be overlooked. This is a brilliant way of putting it. Great write.

[Bridget Mcmaken]

wow breath talking and very amazing! this is wonderful work. how you closed the poem was great. Thanks for sharing

[Valentine]

Some of the best views are ones the Creator made and with the scene you write about it sounds very inviting..Nice one..lol and God bless..Valentine

[Sarah McConnaughey]

This is beautiful and so vivid. It kept my attention from beginning to end with its amazing imagery. Plus I love sunsets. :P

[KAREN]

The imagey is breath taking!
The the way you bought the poem to an end!
A perfect frame for the entire magnificent spectacle
Yet so overlooked by everyone else.
BEAUTIFUL!!

[Stacey]

The imagery in this verse is very much like reading a painting! Beautiful and vivid is your description of this sunset. I really enjoyed the summary message that this amazing event occurs each night and is often overlooked, but then I look at life and understand why this happens. It's also a reminder that we all need to stop for a moment, catch our breathe and realize there are blessings between the cracks. Wonderful write!

[Kelley]

This was amazing and I could see it all in my mind as I read it. It sounds very beautiful and full of mystery. I love your writing style most because of the description you put in it. Keep this up and you will get published for sure.

Thanks for sharing and I will add this to my favs.

Kelley

[underwriter]

beautiful, descriptive and wonderful imegery! i like this alot!!

[Charles]

Great description of the coming night. Well done. I think i'd sift through the poem, though, and eliminate a lots of 'the' and 'now.' Good work.