An aeroplane drones through the sky,
The world is afternoon;
And from the mountains mounting high
A drowsy distant boom
As swirling ash and heavy smoke
The thunder comes up from the coast,
Breaking out in cannonade
That seems to grow and then to fade;
As sweeping dust into my face,
The rattling of a chariot race,
Comes leaping fire in the trees
With jagged arms, a fantasy
Of Casbah dancers from the sea;
A virtuouso in the sky
Leaps abandon to the eye,
To thundering of distant drums
That mount upon the tiny hum
Of the speck-like aeroplane
Dissolving into misty rain.
A well-crafted poem - I loved the second to last stanza - 'Of Casbah dancers...' and I liked the title too.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Exquisite use of contrast between the image of a constant, almost boring, drone of an aircraft and the ensuing chaotic destruction that follows. Beautiful metaphoric applications: chariot races, Casbah dancers from the sea, aerial virtuoso. This is fine piece of writing, Tan. Definitely 10+.