PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

In the mountains one of our favorite activities..because of all that it contains…

is to sit out on our porch and experience the rain.

Rain is free…it comes with no expectations…no restrictions…no expenses

It is a beauty to behold….a gift for all our senses.

We usually hear the rain announce itself…letting us know she’s on her way

when the distant thunder booms…and the sky turns a shade of grey.

Next we turn our attention to the wind as darker clouds assemble

as the leaves begin to quiver and the trees begin to tremble.

We smell rain in the air before we see it…alerting us as to what the clouds are making

It’s like detecting the aroma of cookies while they’re in the oven baking.

Now with smoky clouds covering all we see…so only a hint of the mountains remain

to our great pleasure from the safety of our porch…the sky begins to rain.

As we watch the raindrops bounce off the leaves and hear them on our rooftop pound… 

we stretch or hands out to catch a few raindrops before they hit the ground.

Then remembering and wanting to relive a time when we were young.

we open or mouths and allow some raindrops to land upon our tongues.

The rain is a treat for all our senses…we find happiness there 

where others may find gloom

because we understand the sky must weep…if flowers are to bloom. 

Once the rain has ended…we look out on the glistening mountains 

and we smile…

then we thank the rain for stopping by…and lingering a while.

And we think in that short time…how much there was to gain…

form the flowers, the trees the mountains…and us…

as we experienced the rain.

I know I write a lot about my morning walks…let me now explain…

You see…each walk is different…like this morning…after the rain.

Last night’s rain was over but it’s vestiges were everywhere

Drops still clinging to the trees…the smell of rain still in the air.

The moon had set before I woke and the clouds had all flown by

making room up in the heavens for the stars to fill the sky.

When their starlight hit the raindrops…still clinging to the trees

they looked like little Christmas ornaments swaying in the breeze.

I like to feel the raindrops fall on me as I stand under the trees

I wait for them to be shaken loose by the early morning breeze.

The birds are still asleep…making sure when it’s their turn…their voices will be in tact

They sleep soundly knowing the crickets are already performing the first act.

This time of year…this early…it’s mostly rabbits that I see…

content to nod as I walk by or occasionally, share the walk with me.

Even the water in the gulf is sleeping…gently rocking sailboats that are mooring.

In the silence of the morning…I can hear…the waves softly snoring.

I always have the urge…after a rain…when I walk down the middle of the empty street

to walk and jump and splash like a child…in the puddles at my feet.

Remembering something my parents said…(it now seems like a hundred years before)

They’d smile as they watched us saying…that’s exactly what puddles are for.

I like to run my hand along the plants and the bushes…any place the rain has lingered 

thinking how magical the same rain that fell from the clouds…is now resting on my fingers.

As I head across our lawn once home…

thinking of all these morning memories I’ve amassed.

I realize the only thing left to do after the rain

is to walk barefoot in the grass.

I know I write a lot about my morning walks…

but each walk in its own way entertains…

each walk is unique and magical and different…like this morning…after the rain.

I woke up to a gentle tapping on our window pane….

I thought it was a bird…turns out it was the rain.

Deborah ,unaffected by the soft tap, tap, tapping on our window pane

and still in the midst of a dream…was not awakened by the rain.

So I tiptoed out to the living room window 

where I could watch the rain with ease…

and listen as some raindrops bounded off the trees.

When Deborah finally woke she joined me

and as we watched raindrops dive into the lake

we decided watching and listening to the rain…

is a wonderful way to to wake.

And a wonderful way to begin the day…as we headed to the capital of Canada

In the 5 hour drive…so many trees, hills lakes and rivers we saw….

On our way to the city the Algonquin called “adawe” which means to trade…

burt we know as Ottawa.

We drove through the  crowded freeways of Ottawa…which gave us both a fright!

finally turning down the Rue d’Onans in Cantley, Quebec 

where we found our cabin for the next 2 nights

We were able to bring all our luggage into this beautiful cabin in this quiet little town

minutes before the thunder clapped, the lightning flashed…

and the rain came pouring down.

Which meant we were in safe and sound for the evening… 

where we listened to the raindrops tapping on our window pane…

where we sat in front of big windows overlooking the forest

and together watched the the rain.

And as the rain continued through the evening

thinking back to the way our day began in Ontario….

we thought how the rain is just as beautiful everywhere we go.

And we felt blessed to have the rain….

which this day stirred in us feelings intense and deep…

how it nudged us awake this morning

and this evening sang us both to sleep.

When I look around at a divided country…a divided world

I wish we could all be more like rain…

that falls on everyone and everything equally…

on the people, the mountains, the rivers…and the plains…

For the rain understands

when she falls on everyone equally…

say from Canada to France..

then the lives of everything she touches

will be enriched…improved…enhanced.

The rain that showered us all evening had stopped.

although many drops were still clinging to the trees…

As I walked a few of those drops fell down on me

coaxed off their leaves by an early morning breeze.

The ever-shifting clouds seemed to be having fun

as they danced around the moon who is always happy to reflect the sun.

As I felt the wind against my face 

and watched the sun-lit moon and clouds shimmy, shake and sway

I was reminded of this Native American blessing… 

a wonderful way to start one’s day:

‘May you be strengthened by yesterday’s rain…

walk straight into tomorrow’s wind

and cherish each moment of the sun today.’

I believe we could have learned a great deal 

from the indigenous cultures…if we had found a way

to get to know the people 

who first populated this land…

If we had tried to comprehend their culture

If we had tried to understand.

Then today…instead of walking separately…

we could all be walking hand-in hand…as one…

respecting one another’s differences

while enjoying…the rain, the wind and the sun