A whirring sound bristled the trees between the intermittent stony thunder
Staccato rain begins at different intervals
until the sound is whole
Taunting the tin roof overhead
Tapping rhythms on the leaves
Silencing boisterous birds and chatty cicadas
Feeding the thirsty creek
Yet the trees stand undaunted, listening in their heavy silence
Exhausted leaves like feathers float to the ground
Catching each other
Pearls of raindrops strung like necklaces dropped off the roof's edge
As if released by mischevious hands
Melted into the clay
An occasional wind breathes between purring raindrops
Tickling the leaves
Now with the storm's temper fading, filtered sunlight begins to emerge silver coating them
Stretching between the tall brigade of trees
Landing on the musky ground
The dead storm lies heavy on the afternoon
But slowly brave cicadas and birds begin to carve the humid air again
While the last echoes of fragile raindrops tap inpatiently until they stop.
 

Copyright 2001 by Lyssa Aja