Songs of Anisha
“The First Rain,”
by Olunosen Louisa Ibhaze
Months of dryness and heat,
Plants bow their heads in sorrow
Their leaves dressed in dust
The once green and succulent leaves
Now dry and thirsty, crumble in my palms
My bare back burns in the harshness of the sun
The trees dance no longer to the rhythm of the wind
All there is now is the dust that blows off the face of the thirsty earth
With a heavy heart I shield my eyes
Against the wicked smile of the sun
As I watch all my months of hard work turn to dust
The rains should have watered the earth
Quenching its thirst, so my plants can grow
Silently I weep
Why has Thou forsaken us?
All of a sudden, the brightness turns grey
The wind grows wild
Trees begin to dance to the rhythm of the wind
Mothers grab their children to safety
Animals run for cover
I look up as I also run to safety
The grey clouds are heavily pregnant
Clutching their bellies, they groan thunderously in pain
Like a woman in labour, shaking the earth violently
Their white teeth flash in agony, almost blinding me
As I eagerly await the answer to my prayers
Unable to control their emotion
The clouds begin to weep
Thankfully quenching the earth’s thirst
And causing the plants to smile
Their tears have been held for too long.
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