This dwelling in rain, this shelter

 
You know, we're having so much rain here!
Do you like the rain?
Have you ever played pranks, soaked in rain?
Have you ever danced drunk while getting drenched?


...Look, see what I'm doing! What a crazy person I am! You're not here, yet I keep talking and talking!
Never mind, let me keep talking! I really enjoy doing this. You're not in front of me, no one's here to scold me, so I'm taking this chance to chatter away! I'm just chattering...I like it, I'm having fun!
Say, have you ever slipped and hurt yourself while getting wet in the rain?
Have you climbed kadam trees? Fallen splash into the pond trying to pick flowers?
Gone into the deep water? I mean, I'm talking about really floundering, real floundering!
Listen, when you read all this, you'll laugh a lot, won't you? You better! If you do laugh, keep on laughing!
Have you gone skating on the wet courtyard in the rain? Try it, it feels quite good!
Listen, I'm going up to the roof now, when I come back, we'll talk again.


...I'm back! Are you there? No? That's fine! You don't need to be anyway!
Do you know how it feels to swim following little fish on a rainy day?
Have you ever seen what the fish do when big raindrops fall on their faces?
Have you ridden cars sitting on areca palm leaves while getting drenched?
Have you ever torn the soles of your feet running fast to escape on slippery paths in the rain?
When clothes stick to your wet body, have you played that game of peeling them off and letting them stick again?
Have you ever been chased by swans while dancing in a grass-filled field and fallen splash into rain-pooled water?


Has a big raindrop ever fallen on your lips?...Did your lip tremble a little then, and did you angrily eat up that single drop of rain because it hurt a bit?
During rain, when you're desperately wanting someone very close, have you struck the rainwater in that pond right in front with tremendous force in your sulking, to see how it feels?
When rainwater is rolling down your back, have you ever shivered right then thinking maybe someone came and touched you, and turned around like a fool to see them?
Have you suddenly felt...with raindrops smeared all over your body...as if it's exactly like the touch of someone dear?
Has a light cool breeze slipped across your wet body and jolted it like that? Did the thrill increase from that jolt? Did you feel shy without realizing? Did you then embrace yourself with both arms?


When thunder crashed loudly somewhere far away, did you startle and find yourself alone in the exact middle of many swans across an entire horizon, becoming quite bewildered?
When rain falls like violin music, doesn't it feel crazy crazy? While eating the water falling on your upper lip with your tongue's palate, don't you burst into laughter thinking that the one you're thinking of while floating in such joy isn't really yours at all!
When you bring your wet hair fallen behind to one side and raindrops roll down your bare back to your waist, do you close those two eyes and take in the touch of wet air in one breath?


The moment you open your eyes, a babbling fountain of laughter flows by, and you shout...
O rain! You're here...
To stay smeared on these two lips of mine, to cling wrapped around my wet body, to roll down my back and touch my waist, to make my eyes close unknowingly, to gather heavy on my eyelids and fall like tears...
To give courage to climb kadam trees and pluck flowers, to dive splash into the pond without looking down and go deep into the water, to bring not tears but mischievous laughter when my feet get torn...
To make me giggle uncontrollably thinking I've been very naughty hitting big raindrops off the faces of little fish, to fall among the swans while dancing in a wet sari with the sari wrapped around my body, and to immediately start running helter-skelter upon getting up...!
...Has this ever happened?


You know, I have my own personal rain, it has touch-sensitive drops, a slightly cool feeling.
It has its very own pitter-patter sound that makes my waist sway upon hearing...I feel like someone inside me wants their wet waist to stir a little in the air, now they want to dance!


Seeing water lilies, diving into the pond and swimming away some distance, smearing some muddy green vine color on my body, seeing a harmless wet snake's winding body, suddenly scared, hurriedly swimming back, swallowing some water, somehow reaching shore gasping...
Staring at that water lily with angry eyes, and saying to myself...Fine, alright! I'll show you too! What's there to bloom so far away, tell me? You think you're very beautiful, don't you? Yes, maybe you are beautiful, but still you did this to me! Next time when I uproot you from deep in the earth, then you'll know exactly how it feels! You're laughing so much! Go on, laugh! Then you'll have to cry a lot!
...Has this happened in this life?


Rain, you're there, aren't you, tell me? Will you come to me like this sometimes? Don't go to anyone else! I alone will receive your shivers! You'll be only mine! In return what will you need, tell me? Whatever you want, I'll give it all!
When you come I'll make love with you in fields and waters all day from morning, I'll come home and get mother's scolding! Angrily mother will say, So it's time for you to return now! What have you become getting all wet! You've become such a wild mess! Now if fever comes I'll just leave you, see if I pour water on your head! Look at this! Your red lips have turned dark from getting wet! If you get drenched again, the cat will drink your warm milk!
Rain, don't you worry! Mothers just say that! Let her scold, I'll only look at the sky! When you leave, I'll watch you leaving then. I'll keep looking at you, thinking to myself what's the harm in getting scolded? When you come again I just won't listen to mother's prohibition! I'll wear a sari again, go stand right in the middle of that flock of swans!


Rain, come again!
When I untie each fold of the wet sari, I'll remember you terribly!
I'll tremble again with new shivers!
Changing saris, shy-faced, I'll quickly go outside to the balcony!
Holding the wet window grille I'll breathe in your scent!
Pour as you wish, I'll watch with eyes full how your last drop rolls on the leaf!
When evening comes in the light and darkness I'll call you inside the room...
After playing with you when night comes I'll bid you farewell saying with a smile,
My rain, stay mine for this one lifetime! Rain, stay well, and keep me well too!