Runoff
Before rain, before rain lacquered
the slick trunk of the sycamore,
before rain glossed the cold grass
behind the forsythia, before it doubled
the owl hunch, crow bank,
butsy sparrow, before it doubled
dusk and lamp, before rain tamped
the anger it kindled the ache,
before rain halved the visible
it spirited the late harsh, before rain,
before rain bled the edge there were
crosswords, coffee mug, slippers,
the window up, the radio off,
the radio off, the window down,
there were backhoe scooped slabs,
trash truck hydraulics, dump truck’s
throaty idle, before it got up a rain
it got up a smooth runoff,
soil-soothe drip and bluster affair,
got up a glister puddle, pock
and glisten, before it gets up a rain
let cloud knot, let cloud knuckle,
before rain dissipates lash,
brow, lid, before rain dissipates
coat, button, blouse, before rain
dissipates the waiting.