Lluvia (Rain)

Lluvia (Rain)

tap tap tap
on the terra cotta roof tiles
little polka dots on the balcony railing
the smell of earth and soil
or clean laundry
that’s how it arrives.
on a refreshing, cool breeze 
rustling the palm leaves
and fluttering the straw sun shades
then, like a truck approaching
its tires pressing on the asphalt
a deluge begins! 
rain, delicious, wet rain.
fantastic, cleansing rain.
followed by flashes of light
a breath-taking show over the sea
rumbles and crackles of thunder
Mother Nature singing her mad song
until she exhausts herself
leaving only the drip drip drip 
of droplets falling from the rooftop. 

This is a fresh new poem, written while in Mexico for 5 weeks to escape the cold of the midwest in the US. Every day there seems to bring blue sky, loads of sunshine, and delicious warmth. On rare occasion we are treated to a short bit of rain. This may be the first time in 16 years of visiting that we had a real thunder/lightening storm! It was late afternoon and a welcome treat.

little white egret

San Agustinillo, Mexico

little white egret

like a marble statue, 
she graces the jagged black-brown rock
at the edge of the shore
Pacific waves crashing around her

the little white egret
faces the rising morning sun
wrapped in a blanket of misty salt air

she’s a prayer of hope
as she stretches her neck
a giraffe foraging for food
then tucking her heard 
into her body, nearly neck-less
searching the clear blue waters
for the minnows that would be breakfast

watching, an intrusion 
on her beautiful new day, and so
she floats off into the sun through the clouds
over the foamy waves
and all the delicacies swimming below

Maybe this year I’ll be able to catch a photo of one of the little white egrets!

lingering in his softness

Me and Tucker

lingering in his softness

we sat there
on the floor
our fingers 
lingering
in his softness
as life 
left him
with a long 
exhalation
fogged with relief
from the frailty
of living

This poem was written to a prompt “One moment I will always remember is”. I set a timer and wrote for 5 minutes nonstop without judgement. Then added more physical details and imagery and built a poem about the day Jim and I put Tucker to sleep over 20 years ago. Rest in peace, sweet boy.