Rain...

Odd we have been getting thunderstorms in the midwest recently. It's a bit early for thunderstorms and tornadoes, but unfortunately, the south from TN all the way to the panhandle of Florida have been geting tornadoes. Now, thunderstorms (not tornadoes, of course) I find calming and lovely, if you're inside and will be for the rest of the evening. What's lovely with the rain and low rumbles? Poetry. Especially bittersweet poetry.

Following, are some lovely poems to read during a thunderstorm:

Tonight I can write the saddest lines ~ Puedo Escribir

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
Write, for example,'The night is shattered
and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'
The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Forgotten Language

Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,
And shared a conversation with the housefly
in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions
of the crickets,
And joined the crying of each falling dying
flake of snow,
Once I spoke the language of the flowers...
How did it go?

And sometimes, bittersweet can be too sad, especially on a gloomy day, and one needs simple poems, expressing the beauty of ordinary things, and a contentment easily won:

The Orange

At lunchtime I bought a huge orange
The size of it made us all laugh.
I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave—
They got quarters and I had a half.


And that orange it made me so happy,
As ordinary things often do
Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park
This is peace and contentment. It's new.


The rest of the day was quite easy.
I did all my jobs on my list
And enjoyed them and had some time over.
I love you. I'm glad I exist.

Because coziness and contentment that comes from being safe from the rain and thunder, is easily won.