SOME RAIN IN JULY
THE CLICK AND THE CLACK
OF THE RAIN ON THE SHACK
IN THE YARD
NEAR THE TREE
WHERE THE DOG SLEEPS
BREAKS THE SILENCE
OF THE LONG DAY
WELL INTO THE AFTERNOON SUN
IN THE FIELDS AND BERRIES TO BE PICKED
A SONG IS SUNG
LOOSED ON THE WIND
MIDST THE WASH AND WAKE OF VERTICAL WATER
THE DOOR IS CLOSED
BUT NOT BEFORE THE ROOM I CLEANSED
OF CHANTILLY WEBS
THE NEW AIR WELCOMED
CLOUDS CALL TIME OUT
THE MEN RETIRE TO THEIR INTS
ASSURING EACH OTHER
OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE WHEAT
LONG AFTER THE RAIN PASSES
WE PRAY AMEN
DO NOT GRANT US ROT
AND YET TO SOME
OF SHIMMERING SAND SOIL
AND MOUTHS THAT HOLD THEIR TONGUES
FOR TALK REQUIRES FLUID TOO PRECIOUS
TO BE SPENT ON BLITHERING BLABBERING
WHEN THE TASK OF WATERING THE HULK
IS THE BREATER PRIORITY
A RAIN AND A PINT
WOULD BE A BLESSING
FROM THE MIGHTY HOST HIMSELF
BUT IT’S ALL IN THE UP AND DOWN OF IT
EACH HAS WHAT HE DOES
AND DOES WHAT HE HAS.
mch
9aug1982-LA