I was looking forward to the weekend
after a hectic week, juggling work
and traffic due to torrential rains
The forecast predicted a breather

Nature enjoys throwing in a mystery
The day had been relatively clear
We ventured out in the evening, to play
in the park and visit a nearby mall

And then it poured – with umbrellas
flying off under the force of wind
The raincoats were tested by the storm
The children huddled together under shade of shops

We got down from the auto rickshaw and raced
the last few steps, when I slipped and fell
On instinct, I put the weight of my body
on my elbow. And ouch! that really hurt

A few frogs jumped in front of us, and we
stared in awe. Back home, we raided the jars
for a few biscuits. I boiled the tomatoes
and we drank the steaming pepper-garnished tomato soup

(c) Vijaya Gowrisankar