the rain

Photo by Vanee

The rain slapped all over us
as we ran to the car.
It felt fun until it felt relentless.
We smiled real smiles, which turned
into instinctive laughing, like when
you’re being tickled but
don’t want to be anymore, or
someone’s told a joke in a group
at your expense.

Still, it felt special and important.
In our dry state
we long for rain
even when it floods in a flash
and dents roofs and insurance claims.
We stood under the hatch of our car
as we shuttled in wet groceries
and my new planner —
wet through.

I took the back roads home
so I could hydroplane into fields
instead of other cars.
I thought of the farmers, like
my sons’ father, gambling
on the weather
who’d just cut their hay
for bales that wouldn’t pay
the bills anymore.