stripes of rain upholster the sky
really meaning it
no drizzling bit by bit
or foggy procrastination
the normal earthly palette 
peppered green, yellow, white and blue
today is only one hue  
wet gym socks
and the whole day is morning
I am surprised to walk in this world
and stay so dry
each drop seems a separate world
this mystery may never unfurl, so
surrounded by millions of wet falling planets 
I head home happy with possibility

Friday, November 14th, is my birthday, but I’m writing this a couple days early, as I usually do. The weather forecast calls for rain on that day, but I don’t mind and I’m actually kind of looking forward to it.

I wrote my poem “Regarding Rain” many years ago when I still lived in Portland, Oregon where it rains a lot, and often too much. Now I live in the desert, and wind and dust is our version of bad weather here, but rain is rare. These days I miss the rain and the earthy, raw smells it stirs up from the earth, and even that particular metallic smell of screen doors covered in captured rain drops. I miss how rain falling on a metal roof sometime sounds like jazz music or can feel like the heavens are whispering, talking, or perhaps hollering, at you. Rain makes me feel nostalgic, cozy, and lucky.

So I don’t mind having rain on my birthday even though I plan to be playing golf with a group of friends. (The best friends in life are the ones who stick by you through rain or shine, right?) Hopefully Rain’s sisters, Thunder and Wind, won’t join the party, because then the golf course shuts down. Boo! However even if that happens, two of my sons called today to tell me they’re coming to spend Saturday and Sunday with us (they live only a couple hours away by car) so that will be the best birthday gift of all! I feel very blessed and love celebrating birthdays because life is a gift that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Many thanks again to Bill Davison of “Easy By Nature” for giving me permission to use his spectacular photo of rain for my post this week! I highly recommend his Substack as a way to enjoy nature no matter where you live. He is a wonderful writer and writes about birds often. If you read my post, “My Kinship with Birds,” last week you know I love birds too. There is much to celebrate in the world despite the very scary current political landscape. Walking, music, watching/listening to birds, writing, reading inspirational stories, poems and essays that celebrate life, stories of perseverance, and the wonders of the natural world, and any creative act help me cope with stress and worry. I hope what I share here on Briefly provides some respite, joy, and/or sense of connection for you too.

If you’re new here, welcome! I post poems and short stories every Friday, and subscribing is free. You can peruse more of my posts/archives at the Briefly website. If you know someone who might enjoy this post, please share!

And if it’s your birthday today also, Happy Birthday to you!

Share

And just for fun… a classic song about rain by the great Annie Lennox and her pals…