Illinois Autumn: The Rains

THE RAINS

After they had
Slept a few days
The Rains came back
It was not enough
That they should
Bring forth fruit
But that they should
Turn the leaves of our
Pages to other days
And mark the earth
With life
And air their blessings
And when they seemed
Most inopportune
We remembered
That they gave us
A gift
The sun could not
For he would
Shine light
Upon our joys
But they
Would cry beside us
In the night
And in the dawn
They took our weeping
And left us a fresh face

- 4 October 2000