Beauty is in a smile from a friend, flashing white teeth
against dark skin,
a friendly greeting, firm handshake and deep gaze.
Beauty is in a girl’s face and black, sweet-smelling hair –
Beauty is in the green trees and fruits and fields,
a cooling wind blowing from the far mountains
and in a white stone in my hands.
Beauty is in the mud in the road
and children going to school in sky-blue uniform –
red hibiscus in the hedge
water buffalo enjoying their mud holes
green rice growing in the far-stretching paddy fields
and golden grain drying in the barns.
Beauty is in a wedding party, conviviality and fun,
music and dancing and food –
red saris, smart suits, laughter and jokes and love.
It’s in the mountains, forests and streams
and the blue curling woodsmoke.
Beauty’s in a yellow leopard, an orange tiger, a grey rhino,
a blue kingfisher, a brown dragonfly, a green leaf –
a fisherman casting his net
and catching little silver fish.
Beauty is in Nepal.
c. Tim Taylor 2013