Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad, Nightfall at Minnamurra

Nightfall at Minnamurra
by Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad

At the foot of Minnamurra Falls
the maples heave in the gale,
wind drawing applause
rich with sudden confetti
whirling bushels
of umber, gold, sienna.

The trees arch skyward
upper reaches shorn
as the windstorm shuffles away,
balm of autumn night
settles eggshell, tranquil,
the forests of Illawarra
lit by a smudge of fireflies.

First published in Plum Tree Tavern, November 3, 2019.

PHOTO: Minnamurra Magic by Kevin Rheese, used by permission.

NOTE: The Budderoo National Park is a 17,840-acre national park located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 60 miles south southwest of Sydney. The park is best known for the timber boardwalk through the Minnamurra rainforest. The park features waterfalls, picnic and barbecue areas, and a visitors center. 

PHOTO: Minnamurra Falls, Illawarra region, New South Wales, Australia. Photo by world-of-waterfalls.com, All Rights Reserved.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: In the days before lockdown, I used to spend a lot of time painting en plein air.  This poem was inspired by one of my painting trips. Above is the painting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad is an artist, poet, and pianist of Indian heritage. She was raised in the Middle East. She started writing poetry at the age of seven. In 1990, during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, she was a war refugee in Operation Desert Storm. She holds a Masters in English, and is a member of The North Shore Poetry Project. Her recent works have been published in Neologism Poetry, The Ekphrastic Review, Nigerian Voices Anthology, Poetica Review, and several other print and online international literary journals and anthologies. Her poem “Mizpah,” about a mother who hopes for the return of her son who was taken as a prisoner of war, was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Glass House Poetry Awards 2020. She is the co-editor of the Australian literary journal Authora Australis. She regularly performs her poetry and exhibits her art at shows in Sydney.