Heavy Rain Ahead Poem by Anil Kumar Panda

Heavy rain for days, roads are deserted
Shutters of the shops are down. People
Are inside home; watching TV or playing
Cards. Some pass time scolding children
Who return from school soaked and making
The floors slippery as water drips from
Their dresses. Most of the houses keep
Their doors closed. Grandma says thunder
And lightening can come inside and kill.
She mumbles prayers sitting in a wooden cot.
Forecast is more rain to come. Trees have
Their heads down like shameless convicts.
Nests have fallen to the ground. Ground is
Splattered with broken eggs. Birds have tears
In their beady eyes. House wives are busy
Cleaning lanterns and filling kerosene into
Them. There may be a power cut. Trees have
Fallen on wires snapping them. Old men feel
Worried as they stare at the steady fall of
Rain drops.Where from they get dry woods to
Burn them. If they are dead. Dinner should be
Finished.Kerosene has to be saved. Shops may
Remain closed as the weather man has reminded.