When humanity began
They roamed the earth,
Only looking for a safe haven,
Looking for a way out of the void.
In the distance what seemed like stars rose from the river,
Filling the sky like lanterns
Hundreds.
The mortals were scared, but,
Brave enough to approach the phenomena,
Meeting the Naga,
The great golden scales of the sacred serpent
Shined beneath the lanterns
Like a cassia fistula,
Released from the steady water below,
His sheer size weakened their knees
And his desolate eyes forced tears down their faces.
He hoisted up his head
Releasing abounding solitary comets from his mouth
And again the people trembled with fear,
The Naga neared the terrified creatures and snorted
Ash-colored smoke,
He painted the bodies with ebony flakes,
Leaving them palsied.
Staring into the Naga’s eyes,
The people felt calmed
The fear of the naga in the people left with the hydra
Back to the depths of the river
Lanterns still floating from the water.
The people were in shock at what they witnessed,
Looking out into the distance and sure enough
They could see,
The darkness lifted,
At least replaced for the time being by the illumination
From the fire above,
As the Naga’s invitations filled the sky,
The land grew brighter,
And the people knew that
At last,
They had found a home.


Cassia fistula: (golden shower tree) Deciduous or semi-evergreen tree having scented sepia to yellow flowers in
drooping racemes and pods whose pulp is used medicinally; Also the national flower of Thailand.
Naga: A guardian figure which keeps away bad spirits and features in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.