Comments on Clara in the Rain

My song Clara in the Rain is based on a real experience. A couple of years ago in the month of August, my daughter Mariana and her friend Clara (pictured above) and I participated in a summer school program in Zway, south central Ethiopia, in the Horn of Africa. In a violent thunder and lightning rain storm, we had to abandon our sports day and take refuge in the camp base where we were staying. Once all 15 volunteers were safe from the torrential rains, their "fearless leader" realized he had left his rucksack in the playground. Yikes! It was going to get soaked! Well, Clara only needed that excuse to go running back in search of the missing bag. That is the story and here are the lyrics.

Run Like Clara in the Rain

Bag left in the mission yard

Thunder, lightning, it was raining hard   

I told Irina, told Mikel, too

They told Clara, see what she might do

I’d like to run like Clara in the rain

               Refrain

I’d like to run like Clara in the rain

Feel such joy within my veins

Drench my clothes through and through

Run with Irina and Mikel too

I’d like to run like Clara in the rain

2”Hey,” says Clara “let’s have a little race”

Mad dash to the playground gates

Mud tromp down a pebble lane

Make that forgotten treasure claim

I’d like to run like Clara in the rain

3 Thanks for your kindness, that crazy spree

Muddy clothes, imagination free

I warned them but it was no use

That bag had just been their excuse

To run like Clara in the rain

Feel such youth within their veins

So ran Irina and Mikel

To catch dear Clara in the rain

4 Youth is contagious, joy is just

Laughter’s a bike that will not rust

Unless you leave it in the rain

Defy all sorrow, go a little insane

When you run like Clara in the rain