Samuel Godfrey George's "Koel Dreams"

For Evy Hannes.

Winner of the Evy of Canada Poet of the Year Award 2011, Samuel Godfrey George presents his "Koel Dreams."

Photographs of the Asian koel by J.M. Garg from Wikimedia Commons


Black Prince of Summer,
Lover of tropical heat,
Warbler of a two-note song,
Delivered in the shrillest voice
Kissed by the Divine Lover,
When he quickened the instinct to sing.
Scorner of earthly cares,
A soul encamped in a feathery body
That will not wilt in the heat
That consumes my human strength.
Determined to sing,
Determined to use the God-given voice,
Determined to send forth a rising praise
To the Author of all music, voice and breath,
May the plodder in faith aspire to be you,
May he never let go of his Koel dreams.