Flood Control Poem by mohanan viswambharan Nair

On a bitter night, thunder hit the fiery wind.
One drop is enough to fill a pot, a woman said.
Day has been in the sleeping bag for a fortnight
Rats and snakes went hiding into an ambush
Children hid under their bed scaring to face the light.
My being suddenly lost into a fearful thought,
My hut might soon be, as a huge old animal,
Tumbled down in the rain after breaking its back.
A ray of hope in mother's face after looking up,
She was in haste with vessels to hold on to rain.
Water gushed down from the tiled roof above,
Termite played on the muddy water down,
A pang of love was visible in the cracked wall.
An old tree, standing in the yard for years, shaken
Asked in panic 'who can count one's morrow? '
It fell straight stretching its hand in boom
Small birds soared into the sky soaked in alarm.
This poor man's abode shattered beneath the tree,
I made calls to the flood control room for sympathy.
Bell rang …rang …..Stopped by a man on the other end
Made a fume and fuss in tipsy response
I knew he took it with unsteady steps.
Hello… hello…, his words eventually dies down,
Rattling …screeching and the man stumbles.
The receiver swings dangling….
Tick……tick ……tick ….
Silence …….!

Mohanan.V. Nair