The Midnight Forager

The Midnight Forager

One night, when the moon shone bright,

The younglings fell into a snooze

An owl tucked its wings, hooted with all its might

And all that the moon’s light fell on, its muse

Except for one, who never followed its trail

Whose nightly doings cause ruckus, never frail

Her movements, swift and naughty

“Catch me if thou can”, she said to the moon

Rustling leaves, knocking on windows, haughty

The moon’s countenance changes too soon

“Wake them and thou shalt be disregarded.”

Her response, a whistle, mocked the moon.

The brisk brat moves from window to window

Blowing a gust of sweet kiss into one, open

It embraces children, parents, and grandparents,

Fluffs the fur on younglings of a sparrow

The moon’s frown faded, comfort is to summon

It is bittersweet every night for the moon,

Whilst the Midnight Forager plays its antics

And has the Earth in a swoon

• Nikisha Hari, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Here, creativity is not taught but kindled, not confined but celebrated — The Writers’ Association of Kristu Jayanti (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.