Grey clouds from their heavenly domains,
Weave a festooned canvas
To paint portraits of electric skies,
That light up ever so often
These days –
To show off their flashy smiles.

 

Witnessing all this...
Raging storms dressed in armour –
Brave winds.
And join in having fun, taking chances,
As they rock and ride –
In a boat made out of dark thunder,
Turned and tossed,
Every moment from side to side.

 

Looking up, agog, then excited,
Inside, hurriedly, children scamper
After watching the sombre sky:
To spray coats of giggled laughter,
On all walls of a room, full of gloom,
Waiting to be washed – unkempt
For a long time.

 

Showers of rain cruise around in style...
As parcels of raindrops, wrapped
In sunbeams, arrive!
Crazily drenched in soaking water,
Glistening raindrops filled with nectar,
Frolic, dance, jump and jive –
PITTER! PITTER! PATTER!
On terraced roofs and public gardens,
Their gurgled chatter chuckles
In drain-pipes.

 

Adjusting to a precarious balance –
Just for fun...
Raindrops, like dew, standstill for a while.
To watch an old toad turning turtle!
On a green lotus leaf with a red flower,
Much to his own surprise.

 

Raindrops glide and slide on the backs
Of copulating lovers...
When, on a lushy fringe of a forest,
They decide to make love,
Under the open fluorescent sky.

 

 

Alibaug
1997

                          

Geeta Chhabra

 

 

From the book: No Journey Ends by Geeta Chhabra