Today the rain came like it finally heard me
calling into the smoke dusty sky
asking, begging for a break
for a mint cool balm for the burn
for the barbecued air to
surrender to the scent of sweet, saturated earth
settle my worry with the weight of water
give robins worms for their babies
and raspberries the juice to ripen.
Everything green could glisten again
as endless dry days disappeared
like desert dunes behind the oasis.
I could feel the cracks of every parched fissure
counted them until I ran out of reasons
to think this one would be the last.
And then,
when I finally gave up
and let the splinters fall from my heart
the rain gushed into
all the open spaces
and the mud poured out.
