The mountains loomed high, the valleys of rivers reflected sparkling crystals all of sugar. br There were beets and there were canes and as far as the eye could see just sugar, sweet sugar. br br Nothing black, nothing sour, not even a hint of bitterness br from east to west, north to south in this landscape of sugar. br br My eyes licked those mountain slopes, my lips slurped up br those valley streams sprinkled with crystals of sugar. br br Sliding down the mountains, skittering down, br a mountain slide of sugar – miles and miles of sugar. br br White stallions thundering over the plains, white rabbits scampering br over the hills - invisible against vast sheets of snow sugar. br br Sounds of music flooding through earth’s atmospheric filter, br all I can hear now is the resonant sounds of sugar. br br - July 29,2008 br br Published online by The Ghazal Page br Go to: http: www.ghazalpage.net2008sugarchallengerefinedsugar.