I peer out over the balcony
spring is enchanting as ever
my eyes taking in the bright colours
squeezing through the clouds
the white stratus arranged as neatly
as a child's toys against a deep blue sky
lazily drifting in gentle breeze
that's sweeter than ever
each dancing leaf on the trees
has a story to share
soothing murmur of the wind
blending harmoniously
with the music of chirping birds

But death lurks for humans ...
on the garden path
in the narrow bylanes
at the marketplace
ruthless and unforgiving
striking at will
in hundreds and thousands
for too long has it treated  this world like it's fiefdom
through the three poisons of greed, anger
and stupidy
forgetting that
humans belong to  nature
not nature to  humankind  

#Pradeep