Mistress Rain
I live in the UK, so I have a permanent on-again-off-again affair with her
Rain has a fetch, a double, a spirit
We can smell before she falls
+
Before we feel Claustrophobia, the heavy sky
Leaning in on us
Ahead of Pitter patter
Steady first fat drops
Confidently banging on the window
As if he wants to come in
+
Clothes sticking to skin
Damp, chilly
Click-clack of hurrying heels
Tsking of optimistic fools who hung out laundry
Curses at gusts of wind
Broken brollies
And muddy dogs
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Laughter
Children jumping in puddles
Roar of hastening traffic
Cold dirty wave drenches my feet and ankles
A glimpse of the child in the back seat
Head resting against the window
Eating up the hours and miles
Like children everywhere
By racing raindrops
Down the pane
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Warm, dry embrace of Home
Welcomes us back
No judgement or question
About the breath of Rain on our skin
Wet smudge on our collar
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The feel and peel of clammy clothes
Sloughed to the floor
Sigh into fresh pyjamas
Hot mug warms palms
Chasing away her cool wet bite
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Bathe in the soothing sound of her
Still outside my window
Kissing the leaves
Softly, then passionately
Rising to a crescendo
Enspelling me swiftly down into sleep
Studding my dreams with her staccato song
Riveting me firmly into snug slumber
So thoroughly I don't even hear her leave
Tiptoe-ing over the horizon
+
The world wakes
Shakes
Delicate diamond droplets on bright petals
Splashes of colour in dour hedgerows
A little Yes at the roadside
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Tiny prisms burst from sparrows wings
Blinking, we emerge into the weak sunlight
Noses lifted to smell the fresh ghost of rain
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Thank you for reading. Poetry is not my happy place. If I do dip my toe in it, I prefer to make it rhyme, but there is also something satisfying about pouring the words out and nailing them to the page with the sole aim to reflect exactly what I'm feeling in a given moment.
Please do leave a comment so I can reciprocate the read!
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If you enjoyed this poem, have a shufti at my other effort here on Vocal. If you didn't enjoy it, have a look at this one 👇 anyway - it's better IMO 😁
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Comments (12)
This poem, and that thumbnail for "String Theory," are oddly sensual, and You know what? I'm like that. However, You poem isn't bound to either male nor female. Like the rain itself, the words are rather fluid. It goes from ethereal to a sense of pressure Then changing to a sense of hurry, to mildly annoyed to then the calm joy of of childhood innocence. The hours I spent riding in a vehicle with my family while we spent little bets on which raindrop raced down the window the fastest. Ahhh, good times. Good times. "Bathe in the soothing sound of her Still outside my window Kissing the leaves Softly, then passionately Rising to a crescendo Enspelling me swiftly down into sleep Studding my dreams with her staccato song Riveting me firmly into snug slumber" - This stanza right here is absolutely fantastic. Ahh I love the sound of sleep and kisses in my ears. Two of the best sleep aids ever. Thank goodness for Mother Nature and all of her blessings.
Really excellent work here LC. I loved the playfulness of the poem, and the metaphors are lovely. I too have a love hate relationship with the rain. We've gotten feet of rain this winter (which means my state is going to be a hot swamp this summer)
taking notes on this one! really well done
I feel your pain with poetry - I’ve had a go for some challenges and quite enjoyed it but it’s not my wheelhouse. Enjoyed this though - great imagery
Outstanding you really did a good job with this.
not a big fan of the inclement weather but this piece nails it!
I loved this, and rain is a nice part of the weather, thank you for sharing
The timing of this poem couldn't be more perfect😍because it rained yesterday night and today I saw this poem. describing exactly what I am feeling right now.
L.C., poetry used to be my constant vehicle but i am a little estranged from it but made the leap for you--this is lovely. wanna laugh? it barely ever rained when i was in London! 😂
Always chasing raindrops. I love the imagery!
Love this! We don't see too much rain where I'm at and I miss it! You brought me right back to those rainy days as a kid. Well done!
That's very lovely L.C., just be thankful for the Gulf Stream or (at the UK's latitude) most of it would be snow!