The Twilight Chill: A Poem by Kalucharan Sahu

A soft pallor of light pervades the sky
In the wee hours of the twilight;
The sun is trying to rise from its nether point ,
After a night’s rest and rejuvenation.
The ocean smarts happily , with orange hues,
Spattered on its undulating eastern waters .
The masts of boats, carrying the night’s catch
Come out of the horizon in groups, inching shoreward,
While their famies gather in groups
Expecting a bounteous haul .
Hyenas have stopped laughing and screaming
Long ago, and now rooks and cocks are cawing,
From the caves of foggy darkness ,
In anticipation of the impending dawn.
Women are up and about, finishing up their routine,
Leaving their men to stretch their limbs awhile.
The young and old, escape into deep slumber,
Savouring the comfort of the twilight chill.
The empty roads are slowly filling up with
Early footsteps of people , on morning errands.
The grass on the fields are gathering dews
While flowers, are ready to open their petals
Once the sun appears with its smiling face.