GENEVA LAKE SUNSET
by Cheryl Daytec

Beauty takes our breath away without our knowing it.

Lac Leman is a very famous lake in Europe. Also known as Lake Geneva, it is Central Europe's second largest freshwater lake in terms of surface area. More than fifty percent of it is in Switzerland while the rest is in France. Much of it can be seen in the city of Geneva. So Geneva is a seat of splendor aside from being the location of many agencies of the United Nations for the protection of human rights.

On a cloudy autumn day when the sun was setting, I took the pictures here with my Nokia E70 cellphone. Together with a human rights lawyer from Bulgaria, I was taken to an elevated place in Geneva by Swiss human rights lawyer Raymond de Morawitz for a good view of the lake. We stood there long enough to be captivated and to learn that Mary Shelley was inspired to write the famous novel Frankenstein while standing on the shores of the spectacular lake.

Before I retired to bed that evening, I wrote a poem:

An Ode to Lake Geneve
There reign justice and compassion
In the core of your long mission
Evident from sharp reflections
Of the sun’s rays of emotion
Here is the refuge of right
Here prevails fairness with might
Houses of power stand on your soil
Anger and hatred they must foil
They fence out for the entire world
Kings and queens of oppressive mold
To treat people’s lives without care
To spatter blood, no crown should dare
The soft breeze and clear water
Hold the soul captive; it can’t wander
The boat that left is here again
A peaceful journey will begin
I wonder how Frankeinstein’s monster
Came from your beauty oh, so sober
Oh, Lac Le’man, you’re home to peace
Your glory dangles some promise
Did Rousseau stand before your grace
While writing what earned the world’s praise?
Near you death is unwelcome thought
To a troubled mind you give repose
Where you end, where you begin
A mystery reason can’t defend
The wind whispers your sweet refrain
One day, I will see you again.

I did not know that the lake extends up to the city of Montreaux and maybe beyond. I took a few pictures in Montreaux but I could not locate the disc where I stored them. I promise to do my best to find it. There is nothing beautiful in not sharing beauty.