un sueno

Hollow ululations fill the night--the howls of monkeys, screaming as sea lions until the light of day silences them. They convene in clans, faces full of intense expression and chests bellowing ominous warnings. Giant grey brown ctenosaurs battle in branches, appearing as an apparition from the Jurassic ages. Black beaches stretch for miles empty of all souls, save the cacti that cling to cliffs like fallen beasts. Waves roll in and palm trees beckon them with open arms. The rain responds to the invitation, and I predict its patterns from the scent and texture of the air. It grows from a few wistful tears to a throbbing torrent, then subsides as the birds stir, mimicking its behavior with their own cries, tentative conversations whispered in clusters and congregations that combine into a cacophony. Jet blue butterflies swirl like the water, orbiting each other in front of trickling waterfalls and the surrounding forests of ferns and foliage. Reggae rhythms lay a base beat for swaying hammocks and the swishing skirts of schoolgirls. Fish frolic in the teal blue bay: some blend in with the brown lettuce coral and sand; others stand out with florescent flourishes. Each of these elements combines to create the tranquil harmony of a siren's song.