. .
. . . . . rain? .. . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rain rare in semi-arid California
rarer in now-arid burning California
the rain began by spotting
like a womans period
he crossed his fingers until they
hurt
then it rained
Thank you he said out loud he wasnt shy to thank ithe was grateful
the wetted dust bitched
the trees and plants grew visibly
taller stretching into it turning their faces up and throwing open their mouths
and throats
bees hid under the parasols of
wild flowers they were gathering pollen and nectar from
hitting the blacktop pavement the
raindrops looked like bluedsilver flint sparks
streamlets ran laughing in the
street gutters
fallen leaves gaggled as they were
swept on
they
gargled and they splashed each other as they moved vertically – Whats this –
strange having known only falling down
from the branches they budded on and leapt from
soon the trees began to weep
hed pay good money to see them
shake the water from themselves like dogs
maybe they did at night
when no one was watching when everyone was tucked away in their cells
no self-respecting tree wanted to
be confused with a four-legged dog
though secretly they were
dismayed they couldnt bark or howl such
queer delicious vibrations ran through them when they did and secretly they also wished they had legs so
they could lift them on dogs but no
self-respecting tree downwind wanted to be pissed on either
the rain yammered
he listened to it he eavesdropped
he
secretly wished he knew its tongue so he could interlope on its stories and
talk penetrate its obvious jokes because it laughed quietly when it misted and ferociously
during its downpour when its sheets pealed across the sky and land whipped
the sea and scoured the stoic mountains plucking boulders from their sockets tumbling
them downhill engorging creeks and streams and rivers the clogged waters going
where they wished
exactly where they wished
1413, Thursday,
27 10. 16
