Life’s Little Misdirections 🥀🦋

She last saw him
on a rainy afternoon —
a doormat pelted
during a stormy June,
when her screen door whined,
hard-slapped
the frame.

the last glimpse —
heel of his well worn shoe
beside a torrent
down
galvanized aluminum,
neck to spout.

gushing water
carried away
down the street
to the corner, iron grate —
sifted vagrant sticks,
leaves and rock
wanted to go with,

disappear into the earth.

drained, elusive fluid
flowed away unseen,
meeting new origins,
lifted to the clouds,
hopefully to return again,
when a heavy rain meets
withering concrete.

and, what would
the next storm bring
to the doorstep,
to that porous, metal drain,
a constant refrain
emptied at her entrance?

she lowered her cup,
looked upon the sky's intent.
clouds reappeared,
and realization --
she last saw him
on a rainy afternoon.

She last saw him
on a rainy afternoon —
a doormat pelted
during a stormy June,
when her screen door whined,
hard-slapped
the frame.

the last glimpse —
heel of his well worn shoe
beside a torrent
down
galvanized aluminum,
neck to spout.

gushing water
carried away
down the street
to the corner, iron grate —
sifted vagrant sticks,
leaves and rock
wanted to go with,

disappear into the earth.

drained, elusive fluid
flowed away unseen,
meeting new origins,
lifted to the clouds,
hopefully to return again,
when a heavy rain meets
withering concrete.

and, what would
the next storm bring
to the doorstep,
to that porous, metal drain,
a constant refrain
emptied at her entrance?

she lowered her cup,
looked upon the sky's intent.
clouds reappeared,
and realization --
she last saw him
on a rainy afternoon.