Rain

It has been a long wait

After which this drop has fallen today

It travelled a great distance

and now stands, proud on a dry leaf

She was conceived in the heart of a cloud

above the great ocean, she took her first lesson

The ocean taught her to be calm in apathy

and be fierce in war

The ocean taught her, the significance of company

that you may conquer the world, with those of your sort

and the ocean taught her individuality

the importance of every drop

Her education would have been incomplete

had she lingered for long

so her mother took her away

to places far beyond

The cloud then took her ashore

where she saw the waves crash into the coast

the land she saw, yet remained calm

provided homage to those who asked

The land seemed pleased, at her sight

and welcomed in the cloud and her child

the land knew, the fate of the rain

and wished her fortune, in the journey ahead

The cloud moved on, being driven by the wind

its force made the little drop chill

She shivered with fear, at the might of the draught

The crazy wind seemed, to fathom the minor’s thought

‘Fear not little one,’ the mighty one said

‘For there’s no greater joy than in adventure,’ even as it sped

‘I race the world, many times around

I dig in corners, untold unfound.’

‘I’ve seen the land, and so will you

savoured in its majestic hue

I’ve seen castles being built and mountains being shattered

I’ve seen golden robes and hearts cratered

One day, not far from now

I’ll take you to the wonders the world has

Fear not little one, I’ll take care of you

as I will see you, bringing life from the dead

for there’s no greater joy,

as I’ve learnt in my endeavours

than being the reason to someone’s smile

when you drop off little one

you’ll make the world dance with joy.’

The drop shuddered at the thought of leaving the cloud

But was intrigued to understand the world the wind talked about

the cloud moved forward, it’s heart full

she knew the time was near

when she’d bid goodbye to her daughter dear.

She stopped for a moment to catch her breath

over a land so barren as if it were never wet

the grains of sand reminded her of her beloved sea

she was about to shower it with love and set the rain free

The wind was quick to remind

that the journey was not as complete

that needy lands awaited the cloud, so full of life

so scorched that it would be injustice

to waste such precious love on a land which does not care

which is cursed to be sterile

which pays no heed, if it’s a kingdom of death

or a haven of life

The rain heard it all,

her respect for the wind grew

she promised herself to follow the wind

and go wherever it blew

The cloud at last reached the place

where the rain was eagerly awaited

and when the Sun was blocked by the cloud

the people looked sceptic, filled with doubt

Many a cloud had come and gone

with no promise of a single drop

it seemed the clouds had learnt from man

to look promising, but not to lend a hand

This one knew, it had to fall

and cried goodbye to its beloved one

after an emotion which raged and blew

which made the sky from gold to blue

which made the wind too afraid to stay

the wind gushed down, away from the cloud

the air was torn apart by the mother’s lament,

the cloud finally, accepted the dismissal

the first drops of tears, dropped.

The world rejoiced when the cloud sobbed

the drop then fell with her sisters beside

following the wind, the drop fell through the sky

She seemed so strong, so many aside

yet so serene, tearing through the skies

she had the power, to push down a tree

or she could, quench a dying man’s plea

she could choose, to fall on the land

and salute the feet of where the world stands

she could just play around

and see the world with the wind

or she could choose a bleak land

where no love had ever been

‘Where do you wish, little drop

to kiss the world with your fall?’

Asked the wind, the drop had made its choice

to bring back life, to love a dead world

it didn’t matter to her, where she’d fall

her fate was beautiful, no matter how small

she chose it all, and nothing at all

she chose to love, the weak the strong

It has been a long wait

after which the drop has fallen today

It travelled a great distance

And now stands proud, on a dead dry leaf

-         Vishal Gupta

August 28^th, 2011