CLOUDBURST

The Dam had been quiet for sometime

Rivulets had sent shivers down its spine for two days.

But today was special.

Today was the day when the cloudburst was expected.

And so it waited.

Staying patient in nervous anticipation.

Little cracks of doubt gnawing its foundation.

Anxiety suspended within its broad frame.

What was it about the rain that made the Dam revel in memory?

The flashback of the first torrent?

The gushing downpour that had flooded the reservoir.

The deluge that embraced with ferocity never before experienced.

Intimate familiarity ... Perhaps it was the intimacy?

The crashing of waves like the ebb and flow on a seashore.

In nervous wait was a shadow spied.

It fell on the observation window for a fleeting second,

triggering a shudder of excitement.

Trepidation hesitantly crept into a dejected shrug.

It was a mirage. A dryad.

Just air without form, a disturbed moving light.

Two springs sang their finale with practised harmony.

Penetrating the silence with sad and happy notes.

Gurgling over the rocks, skipping over stones.

And all the while the Dam looked up, down and faraway.

But no precipitation was in sight.

The evening was turning to night.

Too late!

The keepers of the gates made the announcement.

The shutters opened and out poured a stream, 

slow to begin but gathering speed.

It flowed in a graceful arc.

Igniting rainbows along its path.

Leaving onlookers mesmerised.

The purpose fulfilled.

The energy draining.

The Dam discharged its duty shelving concern.

The possibility of a no-show looming large.

Worry tucked away into its darkest recesses.

To give the spectators their money's worth.

Accolades! The shutters closed.

The music ended and the patrons filed out

The passageways buzzing with conversation

Dissection. Review. Reminiscing.

The Dam watched.

Resigned to its former position

Hark! A splash! A ripple!

A movement new. Revealed from camouflage.

The cloud. Beaming. Resplendent.

Bursting with dimpled glee.

Resting beside the Dam

Its final stop after a long journey.

And poured the rain...

No holding back.

And poured the rain...

Bathing the banks with playful droplets.

Happiness betrayed overtly.

And the Dam stunned, watched quietly.

the miracle of life's rebirth.