Gemstones on the Sea

I look out of my window pane

The plane ascends, melancholy,

Far below, a string of gems - 

Strewn in a bed of beryl sea

Isles of emerald scattered here, 

Malachite woodlands growing there, 

Agate coastlines, Jasper corals

And drops of jade strewn everywhere

In between, molten turquoise flows

Or perhaps, topaz, turquoise, and spinels

And endless waves of zircon stones, 

The bejewelled waters shine, sparkles

Slivers of gold to hold these gems,

A cay of jasper, a coast of quartz,

Or rings of amber, apatite

That hold in them, the island hearts

Countless jewels strewn below,

Alas, I could collect but a handful few

But they - a priceless treasure trove

Encrusted yellow, green and blue

You cannot gather them all, can you?

The jewels seem to whisper back,

Endless pilgrimages, then perhaps

You can pride yourself on your jewel stack

The dazzling ones are rarer still

You have to mine for days on end, 

Until one day, you be a part of us

When gem and jeweller both will blend

The plane swerves north, it is goodbye

The saddest part gets bright in turn – 

To return again, gaze endlessly 

On the jewels of the Andaman…

12 July 2024