On a placid morning bare of any sound
A blanket of mist veils the tranquil pond
Where all lies obscured but the reaching arms
Of the graceful pavillion further beyond.

The sun has begun its daily voyage,
Guided by the arc of the surging bridge,
And all the surroundings silently yearn
For the delicate gift of its warming touch.

A beckoning breeze stirs the carpet of green
Where lotuses lately have made their home,
Impatient to see their splendid array,
Bidding the somnolent buds into bloom.

The pink and the white with a flutter unfurl,
A flowery fragrance infuses the air:
Out of the ether a music arises
And each with the other forms a fine pair,

Joining a lively dance in triple time,
Gliding in circles round the pond’s edge
In accord with the chords of monochrome notes,
Turning in unison, each step aligned.

Whirling, chasséing, gorgeously swaying
With fiery glances and cheeks all aglow,
With movements that quicken, then ebb to a slow.
Spectators express a hearty acclaim:

Willows nod approval, herons clap their wings
Dragonflies dart gushing back and forth;
Crickets chirp out a raucous applause,
Amber fish offer praise by fluttering fins.

Then as with a wave of a magical wand
Dusk cascades down the sky in red hues,
The wondrous waltz winds to a close,
The music subsides, night eclipses the view.