There is a pretty huge white coloured flower which wafts exotic fragrance and blooms only at night and fades off at day time. Hence many have not seen or enjoyed this rare vision. They call it by many names and Night Queen is one. There is a superstition too it brings luck to one who views its bloom.

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THE NIGHT QUEEN
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It bloomed only once in a while,
Resembling a huge white lotus,
Commonly known as "Nishagandhi"
Otherwise known as "Brahmakamalam".

It opened wide only at mid-night,
Not in pond but on sand.
Some called it the "Night Queen"
Others as "Bethlehem Lilly".

Many have missed to see it bloom,
Splendorous and enchanting,
First the huge supportive sepals,
Followed by the snow white petals.
Like in a slow motion movie,
The big tendrils stretch too.

When we think that the show is over,
Another cluster of little tendrils move,
With pretty uniform caps of pollen,
Finally to make us gape,
Something hidden at the core,
A shape and form as you presume.
The entire process needs two hours,
Until the clock's needles mates as one,
The Night queen finally smiles at you,
Like a full moon high above the sky,
Wafting fragrance we know not before,
Exotic or erotic, but makes you young.

Scent lingers on and on,
Stimulant to all those who unites,
Snakes or reptiles human or spirits,
The body turns limb and relaxed.

Why such tantalizing scene short lived?
Few do know that perfume and show,
For it dies at dawn and stoops its head,
Like a widow who clasps her arms,
Around her legs in front of corpse.

A thing of beauty, to be wasted,
Only kissed by huge black beetles,
That buzzes around at night.
Some say that in distant place,
People flock at midnight to see it bloom,
For they hope that it brings forth luck,
Hence I feel that I am lucky,
To own a Night queen shrub at home.


JACINTHA MORRIS, Sr. ACCOUNTANT,
AG'S OFFICE , TRIVANDRUM

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