The Life's Summers of Hope

The heat is on

Rivers are turning brown

Children flock the bank and pools

Grasses are wild grown

Rain is catching it's rhythm

showing no signs of ceasing

Lo! Summer is nigh

Summer is here

Spring is gone

So did the bright skies

and white snow caps

Rangjung ( place where i spent nine summers) in Summer

Frogs have found their voice

So have crickets joined the orchestra

heralding the lively summer

the colorful summer 

The summer of opportunity

Moths hovers plenty

By the veranda light

Escaping the rain

But rain is welcome

For the farmers

It's time for plough

And oxen to tire

And extra hand to hire

For It's time to sow

Corn and grains

For it will be folly for a man

To seek to harvest

When he have sown none

Because barren land

Gives no fruit

courtesy; google, women transplanting rice

Plant ye, prepare your field

Seek extra labour

When your summer is at hand

For when summer is long gone

And there is nothing to glean

By the fall

Winter will torment your

Soul poor, left in despair

But more wise and awaiting

The Life's next summer of new hope

If only there are more summers in store?

Growing Young with Football

The sky was overcast with blackening clouds as it got more and more saturated with water. Rain was to be expected and it was much awaited as it hadn't rained in Colombo for some time.The grasses had started to grow brown and heat was on rise. It was a perfect day for football. It would shield the heat.

As we got to the university ground, it seemed like all part of ground was occupied. There was Frisbee being played which covered most of the football pitch. Hockey at one side and cricket at the other end. It usually frustrates me when i see the pitch being occupied but we had no options than to compromise with what little space was available.
The attendance was quite impressive, we decided to play seven a side. The game was going for a stalemate when it started to drizzle. The rain caught up with its rhythm and started to increase in size. Hockey match had stopped but the Frisbee's were enjoying the rain as we were.

Colombo United 

Thanks for the rain, we could move to bigger pitch. The previous one was too crowded to score any goals. The bigger pitch gave enough space for more running and the goals started to rain. Our seven conceded most for much of the time, but we could catch up with brave comeback to put it mildly. It was observed we weren't clinical with our finishing at the mouth of the goal or they defended better.
The rain had ceased and sun peeked from the trees as it was setting with a red glow. But there was no stopping with the game. Though visibility was becoming more difficult, the game prevailed. This little moments with football are times we get to hang out together and unleash the youthful energy.
There are lots of emotions in the game, of triumphs, disappointments and resilience. There is splendid display of fighting spirit. The energy is commendable, it's fun to run around till you tire all your muscles.
There isn't anything worrying you when your adrenaline is running high. It is the same free spirit that reigned our childhood that is experienced.

Usually the game is played for a minimal wager and it is rarely paid. I was in teams which have lost for couple of times consecutively, i am guilty as charged for not respecting the deal.  But the opponent team weren't giving up today. After much debating we had to settle for a cup of coffee. This ends our ordeal with the game and we are back to our place soaked in rain and aching muscles. 

P.S: we call our team Colombo United. Football is our best pastime and it has been the window to outsource our energy and means to kill boredom. It gives us time to grow young and enjoy the bliss like our childhood.