With Thanks to Wallace Stevens

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Rainy Day

 1

The lilac bush collects 

water on its leaves 

until drops spill 

2

Our grass swells

beneath the

pounding rain

3

A small stream 

fills up and seeks

a place to overflow

4

Gray and black

clouds stay put

and empty out

5

We look outside

and wait for

a clearing

6

Soon we gather

books and pens

and leave

7

The library's silence

dims the drumming

of raindrops

8

A young woman

stares at her book

while doodling

9

I look at a shelf 

of poetry books

and select two

10

The rain splatters 

against library windows 

but cannot enter 

11

We leave 

and enter

a wet world

12

Wind and rain

continue to dance

to their own music

13

We enter a dry house

and look outside

at the puddles