98poems/hardrain

Hard rain.
I could not settle in
to my usual rainy day.
The creek up to the shed
again, so high I could
see it from the house,
swirling around the trees.

I went outside,
almost stepping on
the last patch of ground,
when I realized
it could give way.
I could be swept up
and drown.
Danger.
Suddenly the water in
the culvert beneath the road
broke through the rain-swept
debris and flowed free.
The rising creek retreated
from its newly-cut banks,
I relaxed and made
tea.

2/4/98