July 29, 2009

Have you ever seen the rain?

Have you ever seen the rain?

Have you ever seen the rain like I have? The way the clouds turn a deep shade of Grey before completely turning black, like the thick smoke coming from the mouth of a chain smoker. The way the clouds loom over your head. And the gentle breeze that it brings with it that blows away all the sorrow?

Have you ever seen the innocent school kids running hastily towards a shelter, clinging on to the hands of their parents with their tiny fingers? The people on the side of the road on their stalls, hurriedly taking the plastic sheets to cover the fruits and flowers that they have been trying to sell all day?

Have you ever seen the retired military officer walking his dog in the evening? The look in his eyes when he sees the younger lot sitting on parapet walls by the side of the road and sharing a cigarette. Have you ever seen the way the kids quickly throw the cigarette away and shamefully look down so as to not see the old man?

Have you ever seen the rickety old rickshaw filled with tiny-tots singing nursery rhymes that they learnt at school or the singing beggar who has a sparkle in his eyes and magic in his voice? Have you ever seen the chai-wallah and the old crumpled newspaper lying on the brown bench or heard his philosophy?

Have you ever seen the tiny rain droplets falling on the sand and making patterns? Have you ever smelt the intoxicating joy that tends to flood the air and along with it your nostrils when the first drops touch the soil? Have you seen the birds sitting on thin branches shaking their feathers enjoying the sudden downpour?

Have you ever seen the puddles on the road or the people jumping over them? Have you seen the speeding cars splashing water on passersby? Have you seen the pushcarts serving snacks, with sweet tea and horrible coffee?

Have you ever seen the stray dogs sprawled on the water or felt the wetness in your shoes? Have you ever smelt the wetness in the air and your clothes? Have you seen the soaked match boxes that fail to light or the sodium vapor lamps that seem to switch on?

Have you ever seen the tip of your fingers that seem to have taken a new shape from all the soaking? Have you ever felt the chill that runs down your spine? Have you ever felt the drizzle prick you like a thousand needles while riding a bike or felt the cold wind that caresses your face?

Have you ever held someone close in the rain, under a tree or looked deep into their eyes? Have you ever kissed the one that you love under the stars, in the moonlight listening to the music of the rain falling on tin roofs?

Have you ever seen the rain?

Have you ever seen the rain like I have?

6 comments:

unpretentious said...

have you seen those girls dancing in the rain, smiling and in their own world unmindful of anything around them? the people jumping across puddles and the kids jumping into the puddle with glee?have you just tilted you face upward to feel the sting of the rain on you face?

well written arvind. and yes, i have seen rain like you have:)am glad i have

Meena Venkataraman said...

very nicely written!

arvindiyer said...

@ Unpretentious...
Tilting the face upward to feel the sting of the rain.. oh yes. I do it all the time (but it could be a bit of a problem when am on my bike):)

Thank you very much and really glad to know you have experienced the simple things in life that give us so much joy:) Keep at it.

Also Welcome to my blog.

arvindiyer said...

@ Meena Venkataraman

Thank you:)

Zeph Keyes said...

i have, but have YOU ever watched raindrops make ripples in a mug of steaming hot chocolate.. or noticed that last drop threatening to spill off someone's nose? or watched puppies playing in a puddle, completely ignoring the fact that it is, in fact, raining.. i'm gonna stop rt here.. before i truly get started :)

arvindiyer said...

@ Zeph Keyes

Ah! Rain drop falling in a mug of hot chocolate seems wonderful to visualize. And please to get started. Go on :)