It is the monsoon season
Dark clouds hang as if icicles
A breath of cool breeze
Eases the melting sweat draining along the cheeks
Rosy red and charred because of the heat
A clash of thundering clouds rents the environment
Birds rush to nestle in their dainty nests
Hanging and resting on the boughs of green laden leaves
They heave a sigh of relief
Their young ones are tenderly tucked under their wings
A wailing cry greets the ears
Somewhere a cat is drenched, a dog wails
The night grows dark and weary
The monsoon rains elsewhere, drown the cities
A hush settles down as desperate people
Pluck a few belongings
To save their lives
Yet in another part of the country
Angry winds howl and yelp
Scattering dust and dead leaves across the weary roads
Empty and vacant as the screeching glares of the sun halt life
Indoors the zoom of the rattling fans
And the not so cool breeze of the coolers
And
The AC strives vigorously to dry the sweat
Tumbling down the forehead
A few raindrops cloud the frames of the windows
And dulls perception
A seamless figure crosses the path invisible to the eye
The front doorbell echoes
Just then, clouds bang and blast the dull eerie surroundings
It seems as though the monsoon is finally resounding its arrival
The indoor curtains hail the storming rains
They fly, curve, swirl and rest
Then swirl again in a joyful ecstasy
But
Soon a gush of the wind wildly drives away the dark clouds
The sorrowful cries of the farmers go unheeded
Nature is furious
Nature is wild
It lashes and twirls angrily
The surging waves devour the land and all along with it
Grieving and weary, exhausted and drained
Weeping eyes dismayed and perplexed
Scan the heavens for reprieve
Monsoon blasts elsewhere
Here calm settles down
Rains disappear in agony
Perhaps they have spilled all its contents
~ Shobha Diwakar
Jabalpur, India