Nostalgic Rain
written by: Charlie Bottle
@CharlieBottle
Dust devils rose in summer’s heat,
wispy brown dervishes spiralled,
and, danced across deserted streets,
we watched, someone said “salt!
if you threw salt into the whirlwind,
you would see the devil,”
“none of us had salt!”
Summer holidays ennui,
we watched dark clouds gather,
we needed to be heading home,
but, we hung out, waiting for the wind,
which preceded a monsoon thunderstorm,
in the distance, peacocks cried to each other,
and, danced with feathers unfurled.
Then it came, thunder claps and lightning,
large raindrops hit, raising dust,
and then the warm petrichor,
of enveloping damp, earthy smell arose,
and forever etched itself in our memories.
We all stood soaking in the rain,
cooling in its embrace,
and, then we began to dance,
some flapped hands like cranes,
others strutted like storks,
still others began puddle hopping,
rivulets of water ran,
and turned the lateritic dust,
into terracotta streams.
We watched as waters rose,
and took shelter from rain,
under eaves of roofs.
Someone grabbed a notebook,
from the previous school year,
tore a page,
and passed old history homework,
to make historic paper boats,
kids taught each other,
and soon boats floated,
our regattas in flowing rivulets.
Then one by one the calls came,
concerned mothers calling,
“come home child, come home,
dry up soon, silly children, or you will get sick.”
Now, when I smell petrichor,
I hear my mother’s distant calls,
“Charlie! Charlie! Come out of the rain,
Son, Come Home! Before you get sick!”
and I hear unfettered laughter,
and feel the freedom of times gone by,
my feet grow light,
and my heart grows wings,
I sing and dance in my mind,
as I walk city streets,
the silver asphalt reflecting me,
I walk home slowly, pondering,
the nostalgia I feel when it rains.
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