The Monsoon Frog
The Monsoon Frog ~~:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::~~ After the long and merciless summer, when the fields lay thirsty and the river dwindled into a narrow ribbon, we waited for the monsoon with the patience of farmers watching the horizon. ~~::::::~~ The sun ruled those days without mercy. Our few shirts and trousers hung on a rope, fluttering in the scorching wind. By noon they were stiff and dry, baked by the fire of summer. ~~::::::~~ The whole village knew our poverty. Some saw our worn clothes, yet few could see the hidden wounds- the tears swallowed in silence, the hunger burning in the belly, the worries smouldering in the mind. ~~::::::~~ But childhood had its own wisdom. We carried our sorrows lightly, tucking them away among games and laughter. ~~::::::~~ Then one afternoon, dark clouds gathered above the coconut groves, and rain burst upon the earth. The scent of wet soil rose from the ground- an old song returning after years of silence. ~~::::::~~ I ran with my friends...