No Rain Tonight!

There was I again,
Staking my firebrand mind
With the flames of arithmetic;
Hoping that some day,
I would not have a loss
In the trial of skill,
Else, I should crash
As a broken glass vessel
Fallen from the shelf,
And my friends would mourn
While unknown foes rejoice.

The fire flamed hard,
Yet, the brain couldn't boil;
Did it?
But, it had to boil for something else:
Fighting more than ever,
The mighty restless soldiers
Of every cool dry night
In the poor unkempt tropics.

I struck and slew
As they hovered around,
Dancing on my soft skin,
Piercing and seeking to pierce,
For a suck of pure blood;

I warned; I ignored,
But, I couldn't; I warned again,
Again and again, and again,
Still, they hummed all about,
Irritating; Troubling;
Why this wretched mosquitoes?

I dreamt of my abode,
Not far away;
But I kept wondering:
Could I be free even,
Though I come under its shield?

Then,
I remembered the rain;
Yes, the shower of that memorable night
Which, though, never fell,
Yet, did bring succour to my soul.

Now, I long for it,
To smell its cool embracing dew,
And hear its pleasing notes;
But I found it nowhere:
For there was no rain tonight!

I had to fight on then,
For the war never ended
While the enemies still swam about.