APOLLO

APOLLO

Apollo, with his shining sight

And his gold-bright bow,

Rode upon the sun's broad glow

And shot the dragon of dark night

With his dawn-born shafts of light.

So may that power be in our sight,

So may that power be in our souls-

The power of spirit light.

So may clear seeing

Glow from our being-

As a sun

Into the dark,

Like a sun

Within each heart.

SILENT, THE MOON

SILENT, THE MOON

Silent, the moon

glides on the night,

silently shining

from the star height.

Silent, the moon

rides on the sky,

spying on darkness,

like the night's eye.

From fields of wide violet

it pries through the night;

providing pale whiteness:

a delicate light.

Softly the moon,

through the night gliding,

seeks for what's hiding

in the quietness of all...

finding the sound

that is in silence;

finding the light

that is in shadow.

Silently shining

from the star height;

quietly the moon

glides on the night.

STAR

STAR

A star is a wonder

That rays its radiance;

Its gleaming beam

Unfolds from over us,

Illumines deep blue.

But wonder's star

Rays radiant reverence,

Beams from our being;

And, enfolding our knowing,

Intuits the True.

STAR SONG

                                 
                                         STARSONG

We are

star

children.

Our bodies born of the breath of suns,

our souls move in immensity.

Yet we

forget so easily

we're bathed in stellar light;

given vision

beyond terrestrial dimension.

For we have lost humility.

We are

star

children.

Yet we

forget so easily

we're of illimitable universe:

we're granted power to be.

Our sun

harmonizes with the round of stars.

The planets ring our journeying.

We feed on trapped sunbeams,

the moon moves our deep seas.

Yet we

forget so easily

a gratefulness for conscious being

and, blind in pettiness,

squabble over nothings.

We are, we belong.

We are star breath, star song.

Yet we

forget so easily.

We are

star children

and we all spiral with the stars through vastness.

THE CLOUD

                                                  

                                                     THE CLOUD

I am a cloud and I fly on far sky,

White in the light of the sun's blazing eye.

Freely I float on the ocean of air,

Unfurling, uncurling- like wild wisps of hair.

There the great eagles can spread out their wings,

Scanning the landscape and all lower things.

There the high swifts can circle and soar,

On rising, warm winds by my wide, ghostly shore.

There I can drift on air currents that roam

Through the vast blue of my light-filled sky-home.

Over the mountains and valleys I flow,

Casting my shadow on far earth below.

I am a cloud and I sail by on high,

Blown by wild breezes that rush through the sky.

Whirling, I swirl on, with mountains of mist,

Covering earth when the hot sun has kissed

Grasses and flowers till all they desire

Is my cool shade to lessen its fire.

Then, when the shimmering day's shine is done,

And sinking away is the gold glow of sun,

I catch final fire and flame with its light,

Bringing last beauty before dark of night.

Then, when the dawn first awakes from night's dreams,

I herald the sunrise with rosy-pink gleams.

I am a cloud; I am born from the sky,

Formed by sun's heat lifting vapours that fly

On wings of warm currents that rise to cold heights

To mass as the misty, free forms of my flights.

Drawn from wide rivers, from wave-rolling seas,

Drawn from the lakes and the leaves on the trees,

This is my substance, earth's moisture made pure,

Saved from beneath so that life may endure-

So that my showers can water bright flowers,

So that the rivers are fed by my powers,

So that the forests on mountain and plain

And all that is living are nourished by rain.

I am a cloud and I live in the sky,

Even when dark night is ruling on high.

Like a ghosts I go riding through moonless sky-heights-

A passing of darkness that blacks out star lights.

Then, when the white moon is shining through night,

I glide by so brightly in fine, silver light.

Weaving my shapes, tiny droplets all swirling,

Rise up or sink with the winds that are whirling

Through the far spaces to build up my towers,

My spirals and mountains, my high misty powers,

My columns on columns that spin my wild forms,

Until I release my furious storms.

Lifted by currents and fed by warm winds

I rise and I rise till the air itself thins;

Greater and greyer I grow all the time,

But flattened on top by the end of my climb.

For I am the bearer of lightning and thunder,

Developing charge as I rise from down under,

Till power bursts forth in my flash of white light,

Electric-fierce lightning that dazzles the sight,

Expanding the air with deep-thundering sound,

While rain heavy-pelts down so hard on the ground.

Then, when the fury of storm has swept by,

Showers show rainbow's bright shimmer on sky.

I am a child of the sky and the sun,

Winds and earth's waters which I weave as one-

I rise and I vanish, but I never die.

Though it may seem that the blue, wind-swept sky

Hides not a drop, not a wisp of far whiteness,

Still I am building, unseen in the brightness,

Gathering forces, about to be born,

As surely as dark night is followed by dawn,

Turning in time to returning to life,

Bringing again my blessing and strife,

Riding the winds over mountain and plain,

Bringing again the life-giving rain.

NIGHT RAIN

 NIGHT RAIN

The rain on my

steel roof

chatters, clatters,

pours and roars,

almost thunder-

I’m glad I’m under

my

steel roof,

warm and dry.

I think that I

should shut now

first one eye

then the other.

I hear the sound

all around.

Now the sound

of sleep comes by,

falling like rain,

from dark sky.

Goodbye till morning-

bye, bye;

bye,

bye.

MOONSET

                           MOONSET

Wild is the wind as it rides with the night,

Wild is the wind as it sets the sky sighing.

Bright's the thin moon as westward it's lying.

Bright is the white-shining chalice of light,

Bearing the circle of earth-light's far shine.

Silent's the sightless, swift passing of time.

Silent is time as it's endlessly flying.

Bright is the moonship on time's ebbing tide;

Bright as it glides beneath dark of earth side;

Smiling good-bye on horizon's black bar-

 Leaving the night to wild dark, wind and stars.

SHIMMERING

SHIMMERING

The sheen of moonshine shimmers

in shifting shapes upon the wash

of swishing, crashing,

night-shaded ocean waves;

which rush from shadow edge of sky

to dash to foam in swirling shallows

and splash upon
the shingled shore.

So shifting, shaping, shimmering,

this sheen of splendour shines-

like all the sheen of all we see,

the shimmer of

the outer-sensed reality.

GOLD HOUR'S SILVER SHINE

                              

                                        GOLD HOUR'S SILVER SHINE

Far west, behind the shadowed town,

still dazzling gold, the sun sinks down.

Surrounded by a gold sea haze,

with golden power it fills my gaze.

On misted sky it spreads a shower

of golden light in day's last hour

and on the rippling river rays

a golden road to skyline haze.

Far east, arising with the night,

with its white halo on the sky,

the silver-bright moon face gains light,

with silver shine as day glides by.

Past eastern sands its white light paves

a silver path across the sea,

with sparkles dancing on the waves

where silver shimmers flit and flee.

Thus on one side the eastern ocean

is now a world of silver motion;

and on the other last of day

is golden in the sun's proud ray.

So in the middle I can stand

with gold and silver by each hand;

and in one moment both are mine-

the hour of gold, the silver shine.

A CAT COMES BY AT NIGHT

                            

                                   A CAT COMES BY AT NIGHT

A cat comes by at night

On softly padded paws.

A cat comes by at night

To gaze through grey screen doors.

With green and slitted eyes

And white-striped, ginger fur

A cat comes by at night-

And I’ve just noticed her.

MISTER FROST

MISTER FROST

Long before the day is born,

While under stars the earth is sleeping,

Long before the winter dawn,

Mister Frost comes creeping, creeping...

There beneath the star-bright sky,

Silently he passes by,

Silently he passes through,

Freezing all the night-born dew.

Like a gliding, moon-white dream,

Quietly, quietly he will pass,

Freezing low leaves on the bushes,

Freezing all the spreading grass.

Icy are his frosty fingers,

Icy is his frosty breath,

Freezing all the earth beneath,

And for some his touch is death.

When at last the light is dawning,

With the rising of the morning,

Like the night he'll sneak away,

He'll not stay to face the day.

But you'll know where he has been,

When you wake up with the brightness,

For, where everything was green,

You will see his icy whiteness.

While under stars the earth was sleeping,

Long before the winter dawn,

Long before the day was born,

Mister Frost came creeping, creeping.

RAINBOW

RAINBOW

Red is the western setting sun

That rays through spreading mist and haze,

Descending when the day is done,

With its fine face of flame ablaze.

But golden-orange at the dawn,

It brings its world-beholding light,

Bestowing glowing rays to warm

And waken all the world from night.

It makes the dandelions all gleam

Bright yellow in the fields. They glow,

In every streaming, sunny beam,

Like little suns on earth below.

It lights up all the forest leaves

That cluster with their sparkling greens,

And rustle in the passing breeze

Where vast trees cover far-off scenes.

And it illumines all the sky,

The beautiful, light-dreaming blue,

Where distant eagles soar on high,

On heaven's boundless, soothing view.

And it shines on the indigo,

Wide sea, illuminating views

Where endless waves that foam and flow

Move over ocean's broad, dark blues.

And when the shining sun has set,

And final light dies on dusk's sky,

There shines a deepening, fine violet,

As gleaming stars appear on high.

Now when the sun's last passing showers

Are lit by westward sun's bright glow,

They throw an arch of misty powers

In bands of rainbow colour flow-

Red, orange, yellow, green and blue,

And indigo and violet too-

Life's feeling sheen, the shining bow,

The shimmer of the soul aglow.

RAINDROPS ON A POND

                  RAINDROPS ON A POND

Raindrops make

ripples on

the concrete pond,

leaving pearls upon

the water weeds.

But undisturbed,

beneath, within

their water world,

two red-gold fishes

flick their fins

and gently

swim.

OLD DOG

OLD DOG

To know which way the wide wind blows

My old dog lifts his knowing nose.

My old dog has a coat of black,

His eyes are brown and rather round.

He likes to roll upon his back.

His ears are long to catch such sound.

And sometimes when the world in dark,

He hears some sound and he will bark.

And sometimes he just likes to go

And stick his great nose in the air

And sense which way the breezes blow

And smell the scents from everywhere.

Hie eyes are brown and rather round.

His ears are long to catch each sound.

My old dog lifts his knowing nose

To know which way the breezes blow.

THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

In Greece, in summer time, the foxes find

They love the taste of full grapes, sunrich-ripe,

That hang among lush leaves. I have in mind

A fox, once dry and famished, who would like

To reach moist, purple bunches hung on high,

High on their vines- too high for him to gnaw.

He leaps; he misses; takes another try,

And snaps his jaws in vain. He tries once more

And then again and then again. At last

He gives up, hotter still and all worn out.

"These grapes," he thinks, "are not the highest class.

I'm sure they would be sour- I have no doubt!"

And so, because he cannot get them now,

They're sour! He wouldn't want them anyhow!

THE TIGER, THE BRAHMAN AND THE JACKAL

THE TIGER, THE BRAHMAN,

AND THE JACKAL

A play for children based on an Indian folk tale

Copyright Mark Scrivener 2015

The Tiger

The Brahman- white, clothed "holy" man

The Voice of the Pipal Tree- large fig like the Bo tree (Figus Religiosa)

The Voice of the Water Buffalo

The Voice of the Road

The Jackal

Dim green light. Hunters enter through audience driving the tiger towards the stage with blunt sticks.

They can get members of the audience to help them. Finally, they drive the tiger into the cage and drop and shut the cage door. They exit. Lights fade.

SCENE- A Jungle Road

The Tiger is discovered, trapped in a bamboo cage.

TIGER (to the audience)

Captured here, with roar and rage;

Caught and enclosed in a tight-trapping cage!

Furious, fuming, with grumble and growl,

For no creatures will answer my heart-shaking howl!

All through this jungle, all through it all,

Not one beast will answer my roaring call.

Wait now! What's this! Nearby is seen

A figure, white against the green,

A holy fool, all in a dream!

Perhaps this is a lucky hour!

Perhaps he will give freedom now!

Enter the Brahman, dressed in white with a white turban, unaware of the trapped tiger.

BRAHMAN (Entering through the audience, singing)

Along, along I go along,

And as I go I sing my song-

My mind is on the holy word,

My heart is like a soaring bird!

BRAHMAN

The sun lights up the leaves on high,

Which all but hide the wide, blue sky.

And underneath trees' branching towers,

Bright butterflies flit among the flowers.

On such a singing day as this

How refreshing it is to wander on

Through nature's wonder world.

Ah, all is peace and harmony.

TIGER

AHHR! Have pity on me!

BRAHMAN (shocked, turns and sees Tiger)

Oh! Highest heaven! What's this I see?

TIGER

Oh, have pity on me, oh, pious one,

White-robed Brahman, holy man.

Oh, free me, release me, let me out,

Out from where the cruel hunters,

With their sharp sticks and loud drums

Have driven me-

Out of this cramped capture cage!

BRAHMAN

Quell your anger, my friend.

If I freed you now, you would probably

Make a quick, light lunch of me.

TIGER

Never, not at all, oh, holy man;

Oh, no, no, no!

Rather I'd serve you, a humble slave,

Forever grateful. O help me, help me!

By the power of the creator of all creatures,

I swear to you that I won't hurt you,

Nor disturb one hair upon your holy head.

Oh, save me, save me! Oh, free me, free me!

BRAHMAN

Well, well, you poor beast,

It must be terrible for you

To be caged up like that.

And as you swore that you won't hurt me,

And as you promised not to harm me,

I suppose I'd better set you free,

Release you from your bamboo bonds.

The Brahman opens the cage door. As he is propping it up with a long pole of cane, the Tiger sneaks out and gets ready to spring.

TIGER

Ha! What a feather-brained fool you are!

I might as well devour you right now:

For trapped here, all the hunting hours of night cover,

I've developed quite a raging appetite.

H'm . . .you look like you might make a mouthful,

You look like you might taste all right!

BRAHMAN (trembling)

But, but, you swore so terribly,

And, and you promised mightily

Not to harm or hurt me, not even a hair on my head.

TIGER

Come, come now, you should know

Never to trust the word of a tiger.

BRAHMAN

I beg you, don't destroy me, let me live!

I plead with you, spare me, spare me,

Great king of all the creatures,

For saving you from this trap,

For freeing you from this cage!

Oh, great ruler of the night-dark forests,

Oh, great beast of all the jungle beings,

At least give me some chance,

At least give me some way

To arrange some trial, some test

As to whether you should

Reward my kindness this way.

Oh, great lord of jungle darkness,

Oh, great emperor of moonlit plains,

Please, let us see what others say

About rewarding me this way!

TIGER (grudgingly, but slightly flattered)

Well, all right, you set up a test;

But only as a last request.

What do you hope to find,

What do you have in mind?

BRAHMAN(to audience)

Oh, dear, oh dear, what can I do?

What sound I say to see me through?

(to tiger)

Oh well, well then, now let me see-

Well then, will you be sure

To leave me absolutely free

So nothing here will need to feel

Threatened by your presence?

And after that, will you agree

To follow and abide by

The decisions of the first, three things

I choose to ask about

The justice of your intent?

TIGER

Well then . . . all right. Question the first,

Three things you wish. For as a holy man

I know that you

Won't break your word;

I know that you

Will stay around.

And if you do not-

Swift as a wild, dark wind I'll run

Until I hunt you down.

So promise me

Or I'll make a few mouthfuls of you now!

BRAHMAN (trembling)

Yes, yes, Sir Tiger,

I promise to stay here.

TIGER

All jungle creatures tremble with awe;

The Lord of the Forest is back once more!

AHHHR!

The Tiger exits through the audience

BRAHMAN (to audience)

Whom should I question?

Who won't fear the tiger's wrath?

Who'll agree with me?

The Brahman looks about

I know, I'll go and ask that pipal tree.

Pipal tree, oh, pipal tree,

Will you listen here to me?

THE VOICE OF THE PIPAL TREE (swishingly)

I shall listen to you here.

Tell me, what is troubling you?

BRAHMAN

I was walking alone in the sun,

Admiring all the world before me,

When suddenly I came upon

A roaring tiger trapped

And captive in a bamboo cage.

The tiger begged me to release him,

Swore an oath he'd never harm me;

Said he'd serve me well instead.

Yet when set free he sprang upon me!

Yet still I managed to persuade him

To let me ask the first

Three things I wished

For their opinion.

PIPAL TREE

Why whimper your worries to me?

Do I not, as I stand here,

Offer tired travellers a shaded shelter,

A cool and soothing sojourn from

Their sweating journey in the sun?

And don't they in return

Just break my branches,

Tear them down to feed their cattle?

Don't moan to me, just be a man

And face your fate.

The Brahman turns away sadly from the pipal tree.

A Water Buffalo enters, its head poking out from behind a hedge.

BRAHMAN (to audience)

Perhaps the buffalo, man's companion,

Will weigh the question in my favour.

Buffalo, oh, buffalo,

Will you tell me what you know?

The Buffalo replies in heavy ruminant tones

BUFFALO

I shall tell you what I know.

Tell me, what is troubling you?

BRAHMAN

I freed a fearsome tiger who had told me

That once at large he wouldn't harm me;

And yet as soon as he was free once more

The crafty and deceitful monster

Decided he should eat me up. Tell me,

Is it right, is it fair? Do I

Deserve to die for freeing him?

BUFFALO

You are a dreaming fool

To expect a smile of gratitude.

See how I have fared.

While I yielded men nourishing milk

They fed me well: but now my milk has dried

They feed me garbage and refuse as fodder.

No, you must suffer the result

Of your own foolishness.

The Buffalo exits

The Brahman notices the road and bends down to it.

BRAHMAN (to audience)

Perhaps the humble road,

Which everything passes over,

May answer me truly.

Humble road, oh, well-worn track,

Will you hear me and answer back?

VOICE OF THE ROAD (rumbling from the depths)

I shall answer you then!

Tell me, what is troubling you?

BRAHMAN

I have released a raging tiger

Who has, unfairly, just decided

That he'll repay my act of kindness

By making a meal of me. So say,

Oh, ancient and long-lasting way,

Oh, venerable, well-used road,

Oh, is it fair he should do so?

THE VOICE OF THE ROAD

How very foolish you are

To expect to receive

Anything else. Look at me-

Here I lie, useful to all,

Showing all of them the way,

Bearing their dust-laden feet.

Rajah and beggar,

Merchant and farmer alike,

Trample on me as they pass,

Forever trudge upon my path;

And all they ever leave to me

Is the trash from eaten fruit,

And the useless husks from their ripe grain.

The Brahman rises sadly.

Enter the Jackal through the audience.

JACKAL (in a short, yapping manner)

Hey, Brahman,

What makes you so sad?

You look less happy than

A fish stranded

On dry sand.

BRAHMAN (with a deep sigh)

Oh, dear! Oh, dear!

Oh, Jackal, my friend, what can I say?

It seems no one sees things my way.

JACKAL

Come, come. What's so bad?

What's eating you?

BRAHMAN (with a shudder)

Don't talk of eating- please! You see

My friend, this is the end of me.

See, I was strolling cheerfully along

As happy as a butterfly

That's flitting through the warm, blue sky,

When what do you think I came upon?

A roaring, raging tiger in a bamboo cage!

This tiger, he entreated me

To liberate him, set him free-

And swore he wouldn't injure me,

But rather serve me faithfully.

So foolish-trusting as I am,

A foolish, trusting, silly man,

I let him out of his tight cage.

Then he decided then instead

He'd gobble me up from toes to head!

But I persuaded him to promise

To follow answers from the first

Three things I wished question . . .

JACKAL

Wait, wait for a second!

For the picture

Is not perfectly

Clear to me.

You say you were walking along-

Well, what happened then?

It has flown from my mind.

BRAHMAN

I met a tiger.

JACKAL (also to audience)

A tiger? What's a tiger?

BRAHMAN

You know- a tiger,

A tiger in a cage.

JACKAL (also to audience)

A cage? Well, what's

That then?

BRAHMAN

A cage? This here.

The Brahman points to the cage

JACKAL (seeming amazed)

This thing here? Oh, I don't know.

Perhaps you'd better explain it again.

BRAHMAN

All right, then. You see-

Re-enter the Tiger

TIGER

Well, how were you answered?

My stomach's growling for food.

Come, let's begin our dinner, shall we?

BRAHMAN (trembling)

Our dinner. Oh, just leave me

A minute now, Sir Tiger, to explain

The circumstances to this jackal

Who seems to have a weakish brain.

TIGER

Well, all right. But

Be quick about it. I'm hungry!

BRAHMAN (confused and fearful, trying to spin out the story)

Well, now then, you see, that is to say,

I was going for a stroll, was on my way

Along the sunny, jungle path,

Surrounded by the jungle flowers,

The jungle birds above,

Many-coloured, flying free

Or perching in the jungle trees,

When it happened that, that is to say,

That was when I happened to hear

This mighty tiger here,

Roaring and growling,

Storming and howling,

Caught inside

This bamboo cage, you see-

This one that's over there, you know . . .

JACKAL

Wait, wait, oh, oh-

My poor head is spinning,

My confused thoughts circling.

Now exactly how

Did it start? You were here,

In this cage, and the tiger

Came strolling by.

TIGER

INSANE IDIOT! Listen here-

I was in the cage.

The Jackal pretends to tremble with fright

JACKAL

Yes, yes, of course.

I was in the cage . . .

No, no . . .wait, wait, hold on- I

Wasn't in the cage, was I?

TIGER

AHHRR!

JACKAL

No, no, wait, wait, oh where

Have my wits flown?

Now, now; let's see. The tiger

Was in the Brahman

And the cage came strolling by.

TIGER

AHHHHHHHR!

JACKAL

No, no . . .hold on, that's not so.

Oh, you'd better go

And eat your man;

I shall never understand.

TIGER

HOW CAN YOU BE

SO STUPID! I'll make you see!

Now get this clear! I am

The tiger.

JACKAL

Yes, yes, my lord.

TIGER

And that white-clothed man

Is the Brahman.

JACKAL

Yes, yes, my lord.

TIGER

And that's

The wretched cage.

JACKAL

Yes, yes, my lord.

TIGER

And I was trapped

Inside the cage.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

JACKAL

Yes, yes, my lord . . .

No, no, please wait,

Wait, my lord.

TIGER

Well, WELL?

JACKAL

But, but, my lord,

I'm a bit confused . . . but

How did you get

Into the cage?

TIGER

How- HOW ? Why

In the usual way; WHAT ELSE?

JACKAL

Oh, ooh . . . it's all

Whirling around in my brain again.

Oh, please don't be angry, don't rage,

But, but, my lord, what is

The usual way ?

TIGER (raging)

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

The Tiger springs back into the cage, facing the opposite way to the door.

TIGER

Now do you see! THIS WAY!

NOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND

HOW IT WAS!

The Jackal, as he speaks, quickly shuts and locks the door, by slipping out the pole holding the door open and, in one swift action, using it to bar the cage door.

JACKAL

Perfectly! And,

If you will let me put it so,

I think it would be better if

Things stay the way

They were!

To the Brahman

Quickly! Let's go!

BRAHMAN

Oh, thank you! Thank you!

The Brahman and the Jackal exit

TIGER (raging in the cage)

GRRR! GRRRRRR! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

The Lights fade.

FINIS