‘Rain’
2 min read
Sunset by lausmith Pixabay
A screen door slams means the
cats out for the night, while in
the sleepout I lie under the fan
that slowly stirs the limpid air.
I smoke another Chesterfield.
The house settles and contracts;
the dark is velvet with moths,
batting against the fly screens.
A cooling breeze next arrives
bringing with it a smell of rain.
White flash and close rumbles,
heralding the welcome arrival,
the smell of it on the red earth:
starting now as a patter upon
the iron roof, then a drumming
that comes – faster and faster,
the wet rods of drenching rain.
I stub out my last cigarette
and step out onto the veranda;
breath in the smell of wet rain,
strip off my singlet and shorts
to walk out naked into the rain;
letting it lash delicious onto my
receptive skin, mouth, and hair:
precious rain in Australia, the
most precious element of all.
© D G Moody 2022
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A fine poem, Dougie. You paint the picture of those moments beautifully. I especially liked ‘the wet rods of drenching rain’ and ‘the dark is velvet with moths’ poetically and wonderfully descriptive. Bravo!
Thanks for your comment Allen. I seem to be channelling old memories here, and I can still smell that red earth when the first rain comes.
Beautiful and descriptive. I could truly smell the chesterfield and feel the wet rain in your words. I read it several times, and felt something new each time. Incredible.
Thanks Jenny, I’m glad you liked it. It was something that began as a doodle while I was struggling with old poems I’ve been working on – so it sort of wrote itself – and not my usual style – I normally try to use some rhyming. I’ve got another one that came the same way – I’ll post it next.
A very descriptive poem.
The last part of the poem brings back memories of me dancing in the rain as a child…and the feeling is so refreshing.
Nice one Dougie.
Thanks Kathy. Unless we’ve lived in a hot dry country, its’ sometimes hard to appreciate the onset of rain; the smell on the earth is intoxicating.
A fine poem indeed. I love the image you depict to the reader. I practically smelled that special scent you get, just before the rain hits the dusty ground. Nice one!
Thank you for your comment Belanger; and yes, that smell of rain as it first hits the dusty ground; I would think it’s only so pungent in hot dry countries. Though, we are having a semi draught at present in Cambridgeshire England.
I could visualize the whole thing in the poem. Imagery of the rain, experience of the person in your poem and I could realize also his mood about rain. Especially in the second stanza, how you describes the arrival of the rain is wonderful.
Dougiemoody, as you mentioned in the last two lines of the poem, rain is one of the most precious elements. Yes, I agree with you. Because, I strongly believe that rain can cleanse one’s body and mind too. I also have experienced it.
Anyway, you have depicted rain as a cheery and life-giving force. I enjoyed reading your poem.
Thank you Amanda, for your insightful comment; and yes, you are so right, we are water based in many ways, and we may have come out of the sea. One of the (regrettably few) charities I give to is Water Aid, as I believe it is the primary need for humanity.