Rainy Night *

It rained the whole of last night, dear son.
The banyan tree past our fence
Swished and swayed in the storm.

How bleak the wet luminance of my wait!
No streetlamp blinked
On the riddle of your returning trail
Over the desolate stretches of the night.

My eyes stood sentinel
The whole night, dearest,
For the faraway flicker of your torch
Hurrying home...
Only fireflies wheeled lost and hopeless in the gale.

And there was lightning too, dearest.
White stallions carting the chariot of faceless shadows
Down the valley of my gloom.

My heart leapt at each thunderclap...
Did I hear,
Muffled in its rumble,
Your fumble at the gate...
Knock at the door?

*****