Plea For Rain

 

As rain falls on sidewalks,

I hear the droplets prance.

The music that they make—

Calls me forth to dance.

 

Beneath the clouds of darkness—

That drop them to the ground—

I’ll join them in a waltz—

And flail my arms around.

 

As droplets fall to earth—

They’ll kiss upon my brow—

And stroke my brunette hair,

Until it’s weighted down.

 

Oh, I’d dance till midnight

Beneath that moonless sky,

But rain leaves too early—

In this land where trees die.

 

The rain leaves too early,

Then stays away too long.

The grass is dead yearly.

Saddened birds lose their song.

 

The land dries up and cracks.

The breeze is bitterly hot.

We need the rain sent back.

This from the gods we’ve sought.

 

This is why I will dance—

When the wind becomes cool.

I will dance in the rain—

It is more precious that a jewel.

 

By Shannon McCaslin-Nolen