MONSOON MASALA

MONSOON MASALA

by

Sandra Osborne

Dependable and dramatic
The South West Monsoon is here
And ready to flex her monsoon muscle
Her path heralded by
Low black clouds
Which look like sacrificial sheep
Playing follow the leader
Closely packed
Across the darkened sky
From south to north
Hurrying on a mission
To bring relief to the parched earth.

From my wide bay window
I watch a pair of iridescent peacocks
Put on a private showing for me
That rivals the cabaret shows
On Broadway and Las Vegas
Their gorgeous fantails spread,
The pair dance in joy
As a sign of the coming monsoon.

I slide open the bay window
And I can feel the fresh breeze
On my skin
Smell the cool, moist air
That signals the dry spell
Has ended.
In a moment we will have torrential rains
I shiver in anticipation.
Looking up at the sky again
The sun is blotted out
The wind has picked up.
Traffic materializes in the air
Leaves rustling by in numbers
Paper debris and plastic bags
Doing the tango in mid air
And clouds of dust particles
Swirling in the brisk breeze.

I shut my window quickly
It’s a pity I have to block out the sounds
But through the glass I see
Sights that fill me with wonder
The palm tree swaying
Her slender form holding her own
Against the wind speed
Standing her ground
Her fronds above waving a warning
To passersby to rush indoors.
And high above her countless crows
Flying fast to find shelter
Away from the coming storm.

My spying on nature is interrupted
By the low rumble of thunder
Gathering force
Getting closer and closer
Midday turns to midnight
Under the thick, black clouds
I turn away from the window
To turn on the electric lights
In the apartment
With preservation and prevention
On my mind I vend my way
To the other windows
To shut them tight.
The Force 10 winds
Rapping the windows hard
Against the grills
Has shattered many a glass pane
In monsoons past.

As I reach out to shut a window
I am just in time to catch
One of nature’s awesome displays
Lightning in the sky.
The vivid flash jagged white
Against the inky black backdrop
Bright enough to blind.
Its raw power overwhelms me
The accompanied loud booms
And cracks of sound
Make me run for cover
For I can sense
Her next strike will be
Closer to home.

The flashes I have seen
Up close and personal
Like blue balls of fire
Every monsoon
Just outside my window
Puts the fear of God in me
Every time without fail.
Various plugged in
Electronic appliances
Have fared poorly
In the high intensity
Electrical power surge
That a lightning strike wields
Like a sledgehammer.
 
 
Nature at her most elemental
During the monsoons
Is terrifying
Electrifying
A fantastical display
Of Energy and Might
That outrivals any
Man made weapon on earth.
She is at her most primitive
Powerful and unpredictable
Rampaging across the sky
Dangerously
Spewing silvery forked streaks
Those ancient missiles
That we are all so fearful about.

Fast and furious as she is
She sweeps across like a dragon
Terrifying everything below
Yet in her bounty
Unleashing torrential rain
Onto the parched earth.
Waterfalls of relief
That runs down in wet sheets
Drumming, slapping off rooftops
Splashing off  your umbrella
On to your shoes.
Soaked to skin in seconds
Beleaguered in floods
You still enjoy the heavy showers
And raise your face
To the refreshing sprays of life.

Heat waves become last week’s news
As the weather pundits predict
A heavy monsoon
You gear up
Bring out the glossy gumboots
The transparent colorful raincoat
And your trusty umbrella
The larger and sturdier the better.

If you’re caught outdoors
You long to get back inside
Where it’s safe and warm
With mother frying fish
To be eaten with steaming yellow rice.
The meal warms the cockles of your heart
The dessert delectably sweet Alphonso mangoes
Golden, rich, ripe, luscious.

Aaah the monsoons bring such good memories
Of us as kids returning home from school
Splashing about in puddles
Inside out umbrellas
Just an excuse to get soaking wet
To the bone and loving it.
Perhaps school will be closed tomorrow
Floods or your loud sneezes
Help to ward off school for a day.
Back indoors with mom
Cozying up in bed under a blanket
Socks on for added warmth
You luxuriate in bed
Reading, snacking, chatting
About everything and nothing
But mostly about the weather.

How your clothes take ages to dry
Indoors on a line
How there’s a rush to catch cabs
Before the downpour
How the dust laden air
Has been transformed
To lung cleansing freshness
After a good downpour.

High winds, intense rains
Spectacular lightning
And the growl of thunder
As it rumbles along above
June to September
Nature the Drama Queen
Holds the centre stage
And becomes the centre of our lives
Like the ingredients in a formula movie
She serves up a psychological aphrodisiac
Arousing one to romance
When the rains pour down.
Then there’s the drama of it all
The threatening skies
The lives lost in floods
That’s plenty of action around
To keep you riveted to your seat
And wait for her force to subside.

Every year
We’re fascinated by her power and glory
And spread our arms wide open
To welcome her
In all her fierceness and finery.
Her presence is felt in every home and heart
Her signature gift passing through
Every city, town, and street
Every village, every field
Leaving us wet in orgasmic heaven
Another year, another good monsoon
May the weather gods be praised!

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