Walking in the rain

When the glory of fall has passed, I still walk, often in the rain.

I have heard about how rain affects people in different locations differently; some are downright jubilant about its coming. I wonder if living in the soggy southwest of Canada (/ northwest of the U.S.) would dampen their enthusiasm.

“mallard couples glide where yesterday / they waddled…” (Photo © 2016 by V. Nesdoly)

“… the rain … is pouring down, humming and tapping the floor. … It is getting fragrant. I am barefoot, dancing, jumping and running madly.” – Rizawa F. Syeda-Kazmi

Trees writhe, kowtow to squally air
rain beats tantrum gusts

races down roofline, puddles dance
the forecast—walk later, not now.

I leave between sobs
last tears damp and curl my hair.

Sky is soon weeping again
we are deluged in her woes

my hooded anorak
listens to the wet complaints.

Rain’s ally, the muddy Nicomekl
has claimed the flood plain

mallard couples glide where yesterday
they waddled through squishy grass.

I press on, blurry-eyed
needing wipers for my glasses.

Front steps glisten. Shake the misery
off leaden coat, hang it by the fire

and recall, incredulous
desert story of rain celebrations

where men drive to ditches, jump in
dance crazy, open-armed when sky drops water.

© 2013 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)
First published in Time of Singing – Volume 40 Intermezzo, Fall 2013

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This post is linked to Poetry Friday, hosted today by the one-and-only Jama, at Jama’s Alphabet Soup.

 

Sock Hop

On Tuesday I took my walk after a heavy morning shower. On a section of the pathway beside the creek I saw snail after snail. There must have been 10 or more! I bet I know why they were out there.

 

In case you can’t read the fancy font:

The downpour drumbeats on the whorls of rooftop
irresistible call to a rain dance sock hop

V. Nesdoly (all rights reserved)

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Snail Facts

For those more interested in facts than whimsy, here are a few snail facts (from Snail-world.com and About.com):

• The trail of mucous a snail leaves behind is a lubricant to reduce friction against  the surfaces over which it travels. Snail mucous won’t make you sick.

• A snail moves about 50 yards per hour or 1.3 cm. per second—slowly but steadily.

• Snails can see and sense sound vibrations. Upper tentacles are the eyes, the lower ones pick up vibrations.

• Snails are hermaphrodites, that is, they have both male and female parts. But they must mate with another snail to reproduce (lay eggs).

• A snail’s lifespan (dependent on habitat and species) varies from 5 to even 25 years.

• Snails are usually nocturnal and if they’re out during the day, don’t like bright sunshine (which is probably why they were out dancing on our cloudy Tuesday morning).

This post is part of Poetry Friday, hosted this week by the effervescent Catherine at Catherine Johnson.

 

Christmas on the West Coast

Twigs stunning in diamonds
doors lined running pearls
scribble reindeer all lit up
under Christmas tree swirls.

Balconies wearing ruby
emerald, agate bling
like necklaces, bracelets
scarves, pins and a ring.

Roof lines cascade ice lights
twinkle bells and bright stars.
Windows beam the old story.
Velvet antlers deck cars.

On the city hall rooftop
in stitches of white
Wise Men come ever nearer
star-led through the night.

In the rain plaza glistens
all that’s missing is snow
to soften the sparkle
of a silent night glow.

© 2013 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)

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I love Christmas lights! How can you tell?

We do sometimes have snow. We actually had a dusting earlier in the week that lasted for a few days but this afternoon the rains came back. So we’ll take what we get and look on the bright side. For the wet just adds to the sparkle, making it all the prettier.

This post is part of Poetry Friday, hosted today by the eclectic and always interesting Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference.