Chiang Mai Sunset

CHIANG MAI SUNSET

by me

A peach coloured fire glowed all along the horizon
Burning the palm trees black
As we drove with the Bata people
Down the dirt road
The colours burnt brighter, smoke began to rise
As people, coming out into the hot night,
Lit their evening fires.
Peach sun, black palms, curled smoke, kissed
When you were in Jesmond, Wirach,
Were you homesick for this?

I wrote this many many years ago when we were staying with Wirach, an old Uni friend, and he sent us up to beautiful Chiang Mai for a week. His firm had just bought the old British Embassy, and we stayed there.  We had it and its staff to ourselves.  They made us cooked English breakfasts, as I remember it, and were very nice.  Chiang Mai was a quiet place then. Apparently it is a top tourist destination now - which is not surprising.

When I put "Thailand" into the Captain's photo gallery I could only find the above photo of a moth - which was taken in the Maldives, but the moth - a Leafroller - is apparently also found in Thailand.  

This poem was published in an anthology if I remember rightly - my first ever publication.

I have been trying to decipher my notes from Wednesday night, the Pioneer meeting.  The points we were considering were to think about adjustments we might find we need to make in the following three areas, so that we can not only try to reach more people with the immensely good news of the Kingdom of God, but also be a better support to our congregation family:

1.  As an example.

2.  As a support.

3.  Building our spirituality.

All these points need working on and will keep me busy and usefully occupied if I keep at it.

And it is another gift from Jehovah, to know that I can be useful even at my age.