The Rain And The Exodus Poem by Valsa George

The Rain And The Exodus

Rating: 4.9


The afternoon was excessively humid
The Earth seemed a seething hot furnace
Dark clouds were gathering overhead
Lightning drew fluorescent patterns in the sky
Thunder boomed and rumbled
A few sparse drops of water hit the window pane
The air grew dark, leaves shivered
Soon the rain pelted down in torrents
Drumming on the corrugated tin roofs

Spreading a dark curtain between the eye and the sky
It poured down in full fury for about an hour
In no time it flooded the ditches and hollows
But its might slackened and it vanished as quickly
As it had come, like a messenger on an urgent errand

The day was dying and I witnessed another rain
The rain of insects into the sequestered freedom of the night
Termites and white ants, sleeping in the hollows
Suddenly emerged from their lairs in thousands
Out of every crack and cranny, every fissure and hole
From under every boulder and brick
Winged termites emerged, fluttering about dreamily
Never knowing they were on their first and last flight
They all flew towards the bright light in the porch
But striking against the concrete ceiling
They fell down one by one, some losing their wings
And creeping on the floor, like wounded warriors
A quivering swarm of insects, a clumsily moving mass

This was the harvesting time for the geckos
In one and two, the lizards emerged from their hide
Flicking their tail, they stood ready for the catch
Darting their sticky tongue, they began devouring
The insects, hastily having their fill
Until they could hold no more

When the insects began invading the inner space
I switched off all the lights and went to bed
The cool air and the sonorous but rhythmic chants of the frogs
Put my sleepy eyes into sound slumber
Early morning as I woke up
I saw the porch strewn with filmy wings of the termites
They lay like scattered chaff after the corn has been stored
Also some weak survivors, staggering to their end

I thought, to what bleak fate, the exodus of insects
Had taken off on wings for their maiden flight!

Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Topic(s) of this poem: rain
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
M Asim Nehal 03 November 2015

During summer or winter when it rains the night fly appears from nowhere and enforce us to defend, nice poem on this subject, I liked it.

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Gangadharan Nair Pulingat 03 November 2015

The exodus of insects and lizard's acts and the rain situation very nicely written in this poem.

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Pijush Biswas 03 November 2015

Nicely described a frenzied atmosphere, and incsects being a matter of whole story well described the story. like this.

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Sanjukta Nag 03 November 2015

It's not just a picture, it's like watching a movie, and you made it so well. A very well composed poem on rain with a great poetic value. Beyond rating.

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Loke Kok Yee 03 November 2015

a simple occurrence so brilliantly and poetically described I'm lost for words-10+++ thanks Valsa

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Roop Rekha Bhaskar 10 November 2015

I wondered about the title. It was when I read the lines where you witnessed another rain that I started to wonder even more. This is just so creative. I find your flow of thoughts so special. Your reflections are original and I just love to read when you word them so wonderfully. Thank you. these lines are really good They lay like scattered chaff after the corn has been stored Also some weak survivors, staggering to their end I thought, to what bleak fate, the exodus of insects Had taken off on wings for their maiden flight! I saw the porch strewn with filmy wings of the termites They lay like scattered chaff after the corn has been stored Also some weak survivors, staggering to their end I thought, to what bleak fate, the exodus of insects Had taken off on wings for their maiden flight!

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Akhtar Jawad 08 November 2015

Who can describe better than Valsa? Another beautiful description of nature! .....................

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Unwritten Soul 08 November 2015

the end verse Had taken off on wings for their maiden flight! made me fly enjoying the meaning :)

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Madathil Rajendran Nair 05 November 2015

It is not as tragic as we think. The insects (moths) have lived a fuller life than most stupid humans. And they did so with a purpose. Only we, who think we are intelligent, think otherwise. The dead insects had a scheme in God's great scheme. Again 10.

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Tirupathi Chandrupatla 04 November 2015

Insects that seek fire have always been delight of poets. Swarm of these insects come and then complete their life cycle. Only the time is lengthened for others. Beautiful poem to read and learn.

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