Bird Scarers

As when the air is yellow

filled with the light of peering sun after rain

 and everything looks light and gay

with the sheen of droplets on green

reflecting the yellow light

and with every blink I thought

I was blind but now I see

the joy of vision ever renewed.

We got out of our makeshift shades

made of sticks and arrow root leaves

back to our guarding task

the rice field against thieving birds

a stretch of golden field

bent stalks and ears bursting heavy with grain.

Thinking the birds were long gone

to seek some shelter from the storm

and now their wings too damp to fly

we abandoned our task

and went off playing in the mud

then out of nowhere

a flock of weaver birds

descended upon the ripe rice field

like a horde of Mongols

as we slid in the mud slope – naked.