A Prayer

I took a stroll in the twilight
At the start of the year in a place
Where looking back is looking forward
To my delight, my stride began to take flight
And my heart opened up to the sky

At the end of Shek-O road
I found a sacred place
Where time stood still in Hong Kong

I scaled the Dragon’s Back
Told the wind my secrets
And wished upon the Big Wave Bay
A sparrow sang a love song
And a 747 blew air kisses from the skies

I took a deep breath
Dove into blue water, then happily
Surfaced in the Klongs of busy Bangkok

The long boat and I danced a waltz on Chao Praya River
Then the red lights of Patpong
Made my eyes go dark in an endless stream of tears
The Reclining Buddha gave visions renewed
And the Erawan shrine showered good luck

I curtsied good-night as the moon cradled me
And her crescent laid me down gently
On the glorious Great Wall of China

Dizzy from the moon ride, I spun
Each little brick, from Badaling to Mongolia
Seduced me with tales of Ming Dynasty battles
I leaped up a tower and sipped luscious power
From the goblets of Kublai Khan

I floated up the Pacific then stopped
At Muira it was morning again
And Spring was here

Japan tied an obi around my waist
As Tokyo left me breathless, smothered by Sakura in Aoyama Reien
The cherry blossom spell took me away to Yoyogi Park
Shibuya girls worshipped fashion alongside the Meiji Shrine
Where Buddha sits quietly among the gardens

The wind picked me up
And in a passionate flourish
Paris scooped me in her embrace

Mesmerized by the Seine, I found a gliding gait
As I charmed the Champs-Élysées
The Pompidou declared undying affection for me
In the Bar du Marché
And we made love on Rue Dauphine

In one fell swoop, I was floating again
And the Atlantic rocked me to sleep
As she took me to Sunny Spain

Antoni Gaudi took my hand in the Barcelona sun
We gorged on arroz negra and drank Cava Vallés
As my nephew Gael chased pigeons in Park Güell
I said silent prayers at Basilica Sagrada Familia
In the city of forefathers and godsons

In my dizzy drunk spell I could no longer tell
Where this enchanting stroll would go next
Trembling joyfully I fell to my knees
And stars made swirls around my head
I was the world today, and forever
And the world was me

Story ID:	1734
Written by:	Tish Valles (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Organization:	The Writing Salon
Story type:	Poem
Location:	Hong Kong China
Year:	2005