The Day it Rained Forever

 The Day it Rained Forever

 

They crushed her. Cool rivers of blood

flow hot in heads that should know better

if they cared to dream; had principles,

knew how. Just a small life, a minor thing,

brought all the force they could bear to bring,

surrounded her red faced in the ring,

she tossed the towels for them to fling. 

 

Displaced, to flee a war not hers,

unaware it had ever been declared

by those who hunt and trophy furs

to catwalk blithe amongst us, invincible

but blinkered, immune to slung mud,

splintering love into matchstick kindling,

kindness given drawn back and dwindling,

lighting choking fires underneath

their own smouldering feet.

 

This crushed life, how easy was it?

One shock of spite, and her spirit beat,

a Gordian knot of thick deceit,

the next time they bother to look,

see truths in vanity's babbling brooks,

where faces in oil stained filthy puddles

are only leaves left over from teacup storms,

from unfaithful acts are futures born.

 

Her life only is damaged goods

and where she misplaced the receipt,

heaven knows. It’s hard, I feel hard.

You do. Need to push off and away, go far,

want to help but need to shutter eyes,

deaf my ears against her hopeful cries,

as rain now gathers in the skies.

 

They come, those first drops, they come.

Beads, they precede the coming storm,

brushing light on your skin and prickle.

Fall heaven fresh on thick parting brambles

unstrained, untangle love and unscramble,

she forgave them already, is happy inside,

any pain felt comes only from pride,

but to lose, lose us and well water trickles.

 

Falling fast on crumbled cheeks, pale lips,

her smile it slips, her small hand rips

a tissue, then another tissue torn,

in distance sprung from closeness born,

swallows air in gollops, like inconsolable child

picking herself up from playground wild,

and is it my burden to clean grit from skin

know I must open heart and let her in?

 

We put our arms around shivering things

with hope that mending pain can bring

never a burden. Love is a coming pleasure,

dreams lie ahead to gather and treasure,

turning our backs on measure for measure

to hold us close on the day it rained forever.