Loo(haibun)

The leaves of the cashew tree threw a knowing glint, it's sway pronounced, during the rare hot wind. Loo. It caressed my red cheeks, as rarely as it came, and I held my breath. I heard twigs snapping in the distance but nothing in the world during those five seconds of my raging hot life could open my eyes. The wind lifted off the veil from my face, from my body, drying the beads of sweat, that coated the skin above my upper lip, beneath my eyes, my forehead, my neck, lulling me into a trance. I sucked in a deep breath, the hot air, clenching my insides, capturing my essence. Wind, hot or not, was like my spirit- belligerent and stubborn, teasing my essence, touching me with harsh fingers, but cooling me down, pressing down on my cheeks, warming my heart. My lips curved, and my imagination ran in wild circles, as the wind left me standing in my verandah, my hair sticking to my neck where the sweat didn't wholly dry. My laughter sounded like temple bells to my own ears, running away with the wind,carrying it to places I will never take. The sun beat me down with a fiery intensity once more, and rose even higher and I saw her naughty grin as she took residence up in the fifth heaven, mocking me.

Lift me, carry me
cradle my hot face, blow, slow
stay, till I say, love