summer rain

"Last night
the rain
spoke to me
slowly, saying,

what joy
to come falling
out of the brisk cloud,
to be happy again

in a new way
on the earth!
That’s what it said
as it dropped,

smelling of iron,
and vanished
like a dream of the ocean
into the branches

and the grass below.
Then it was over.
The sky cleared.
I was standing

under a tree.
The tree was a tree
with happy leaves,
and I was myself,

and there were stars in the sky
that were also themselves
at the moment
at which moment

my right hand
was holding my left hand
which was holding the tree
which was filled with stars

and the soft rain—
imagine! imagine!
the long and wondrous journeys
still to be ours."
~mary oliver

it rained today. a great summer storm. i had just finished mowing the lawn as the thunder began to roll. i went inside to shower off my mix of sweat and grass. the kids and j were all content and occupied, so i took a few moments to myself. freshly showered and powdered summer skin, i laid on the bed under the hum of our ceiling fan, the window wide open to the sounds of distant thunder and rain drops falling. little moments of perfect contentment.

happy peaceful sunday everyone.