Smoke Clouds

by Bibhu Padhi (July 2014)

The night lifts up

to a cloud of smoke.

Magnificent patterns

change quietly,

and then are assimilated back

into this late winter night.

How much must I wait

for time to time

to settle down to winter

and sadness?

All the vapors of the day

have loosened out

to a harmless smoke.

How do I know, how far are

the rain-bearing clouds

from the earth, this room, which

I’m always tempted to call mine?

The whisky I took an hour ago

has turned into its usual acidic content.

How do I know how long

will the night stay?

__________________ 

Bibhu Padhi’s eighth book of poems, Magic Ritual, was published earlier this year. His work has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, the most recent being THE HARPERCOLLINS BOOK OF ENGLISH POETRY (2012). He lives in Bhubaneswar, India.

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