I woke early to a raindrop orchestra outside my window,
playing a mellifluous symphony in the key of nature.
First a gentle blush then swelling
in a forceful crescendo—for long minutes.
I listen and watch peacefully through the movements,
through my window, wrapped in my blanket
against the cold air that seeped in.
The volume decreases diminuendo
leveling to loud cadence. Then decreasing more
it returns to the gentle melody.
Almost as if each drop strokes its contact points,
like drum brushes delivering gentler impacts.

Beyond the parking lot, trees have unwittingly
joined the musical. Bare branches high up
sway under the falling drops, following the water’s lead
marking time to me, their audience.
Heavier rainfall forces more frenzied movement.
The shorter, dense leafy evergreens, more hesitant to perform
are compelled to movement by rhythmic drops.
They sway and flourish almost imperceptibly
yet keeping time with the rain-cum-conductor.

People making way to cars, do their parts
respecting the raindrop symphony by walking hurriedly,
hunched under jacket or umbrella,
guarding against the continuous downpour.
Here’s a jacketed fellow with not even a hat.
His goal: get to port cover before the next deluge,
missing as many drops as he can manage.
Now drivers, in cars they add their voices,
tire splashes, to the rainy morning masterpiece.
All for me, their captive audience.

© 2011 Shari Lynne Smothers

This post is part of my #SHINEonline challenge commitment for 2 posts weekly; 1 of 2 for the 3rd week.

This poem is offered in submission too for the We Write Poems Prompt #38

This is a draft that has seen a few revisions since I wrote it on Monday. It will likely go through a few more before I’m ready to call time. But I wanted to post it because I like it now—and I’m working on another piece for this site, as well as writing for my other blogs.

I’m writing regularly but posting is off somewhat. So I’m working to get back on track quickly before the end of February. Needless to say, I’ll be working with my editorial calendars, to keep myself on track. More to come on that front too.