English rain

Gold cherry
Pick of the Month

By littleditty

Tue, 28 Apr 2020
  • 4322 reads
14 comments
 

Here, it is not The Tropics

where wide brimmed sunhats

double up for a performance of rain,

leaning smooth ledges of rock

for water to fall; tumble and stream - not in sheets,

droplets, nor cats and dogs:

uncountable reams vanish relentlessly wet

into a complete absence of baked goods,

into a steam-fresh sauna of rainbow and sweat.

 

Here, we do not surrender, parched,

cracked skin, desperate for soothing.

Here we do not exhale in awe.

We are the hunched resistance,

each sense locked on drizzle’s drivel,

the wrong stoic shoes, shuffling the puddles,

heading somewhere, shivering.

 

Here, we do not surrender, arms open wide,

bathing in gratitude, sighing – we grumble,

soak up each driving droplet,

count each miserly strike against uncovered skin,

mumble silently, penning the ledger of losses and wins.

 

Here, we are the abacus of recrimination.

The reckoning, head bent on recording highs and lows in the density of mist.

Steadfastly onward, when grey could be as soft as a shawl,

soft as blaming a tarmac sky for missing bows of rain.

 

Here, we do not surrender. We may unpeel layers later,

hang them all on the back of a tall chair in a noisy room

and order from the bar; or, on the back of a bathroom door,

when water pouring a steam-fresh sauna of rainbows

wrinkles the skin, and warms the bones with its breath.

Certificate U
Poem
whimsy

Comments

Submitted by onemorething on

Well, this is brilliant. I love it. I will have to come back more times to read again, but it is magically wonderful and conjured up our rain and our feelings about it beautifully. 

 

Submitted by littleditty on

 -the word 'misling' is missing from this poem! How can that be?! Where did it go! It is how it all started!! Oh well...thanks for reading this rainy day :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

so many lovely lines! Like

"grey could be as soft as a shawl"

"warms the bones with its breath"

"bathing in gratitude"

and raindrops like beads in an abacus. It's all wonderful

 

Submitted by littleditty on

Thanks for your reading and lovely comments :)

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

So true, littleditty. Having recently returned from a place where rain is welcomed (between May and November, at least), I found myself looking forward to this wet couple of days to water the grass seed and give the plants a lift. Your poem picks that up in a bright and airy way, fun and really enjoyable to read. Thanks for making me think about that. Great pick of the day.

Parson Thru

Submitted by littleditty on

A poem stretching...when i could have braved the drizzle and stretched my legs a bit in breaktime...lazy lockdown rain watered the plants for me..thanks for reading, glad you enjoyed :)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I too found your poem wonderfully evocotive of the weather we had on Tuesday. I actually love the rain which was why I was drawn to your great poem.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by littleditty on

Hi Jenny, i like rain too...preferably from inside! Glad you liked...are you still teaching?

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi there Littleditty,

no I'm not teaching dance aerobics anymore. I retired from that many years ago, wouldn't attempt all that kind of excercise anymore, especially with a new hip replacement.

No, thankfully I'm a pensioner and enjoying every part of being retired.

Jenny. 

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

catching up - this is so lovely littleditty - like you, grasping at straws, I enjoy the rain from inside and am thankful that it means no watering of plants that day. Congratulations on your golden cherries - very much deserved!

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This is our Poem of the Month - Congratulations!

 

Submitted by littleditty on

I'd better read it again -there may be a little fiddle, clunky pre pesky line needs attention!- thanks very much!

 

Submitted by Stephen Thom on

Liked the sensory elements to this, tight and lovely word combinations. Agree with the beautiful phrases Di has picked out above, loads to appreciate here, wonderful work yes

 

Submitted by littleditty on

glad you liked. Thanks for reading and commenting.