RAIN

A large dark head did loom over horizon
And soon a sea of shadow bore down on;
Before I figured out the colossus,
It had devour'd me and the universe !

As I was running within panic girth,
A riot of joy round me heaved up the earth;
And in the thickness of a cool embrace,
I felt freedom from scorching sunny stress.

I braced the loving push of northern draughts
If blew Himalayas with cloudy flaps;
Abandon'd to the wild I bathed in lee
As felt 'deja vu' of rain dropping on me.

This rain that makes blunt earth evergreen,
This rain that slakes the flames and famine;
In rain we freak, in rain also we frolic
And in it dwells the God of the mystic.

So I look'd heavenward wishing a downpour,
To my dread  saw clouds fleeing in horror;
And soon the giant blew o'er with waves of North
Scared by charging Sun's vengeful summer wrath...

Again on fire was put then parch'd up earth,
'Gain sat the gloom of woes on corpse of mirth;
With pains of thirsts and burns ofdeathly mien
I heard people's grave cries for rain and rain !!

Insane or cruel this crazy God of rain,
No curse, no ode,  no prayerful refrain;
But to vagaries of Nature withdrawn,

This God visits the earth by will of own.

And now it rains, incessant it rains cats and dogs,
And sweeps away each thing from homes to hogs;
From frying pan to fire, deluge from dearth,
In floods of rain is drown'd this mother earth !!!

                   --- N P Samal