Up Above The World So High! Poem by Daniel Trevelyn Joseph

Back-stroking on the blue waters
Of the pool in Sandesh The Prince,
The hotel in Mysore, place known for
Brindavan Garden and the Mysore Palace
Lit bright on Sundays, drawing
Crowds ready to stand an hour
In queue jostling with the foreign tourists
Each holding a drinking water bottle
With the blue cap.

Back-stroking in vacancy, suddenly
I see high above three paraiah kites
Circling in the evening Sun,
Showing transparent, golden wings
Feathers shining brilliantly,
Slow and steady and majestic.

I get out of water, and lie on
The recliner out of the pool on blue white
Towel, and now I see patches
Of white cotton sky, and lo and behold!
I see a speck moving near the stars
Almost in God's heaven: I am thrilled
With my own eyesight, and wonders
Of Nature. While I am at it,
I locate five more black dots developing
All into birds up above the sky,
Without a care in the world:
Why would they go that high,
Where there is no food, no place to perch and rest,
As we human would consider?

They are
Jonathan Livingston Gulls out
To savor life, and not compete!