The
Rainy Day
by Keith Welch
by Keith Welch
The
rain on the roof The rain helps hide
drums
a soothing rhythm. us from the soldiers.
It's
a good day for all our belongings are sodden
reading
or perhaps a nap. and heavy- the mud slows us.
I
curl in my armchair Our food is wet-in two days
with
book and teacup. it will be exhausted.
The
rain rolls off the Maybe the rain will extinguish
roof,
down the gutters. our burning houses.
My
eyelids are heavy; it's The river is swollen; many will
a
good day to stay in. not survive the crossing.
The
cat makes herself Behind us, distant, we hear dogs
comfortable
in my lap. Thank God there are no helicopters.
I
drop my book and lean The children are cold, the old
back,
resting my eyes. sick; there's no way to warm them.
Sleep
comes easily on such We can only continue and
a
rainy day. pray to live another day.
Keith
Welch lives in Bloomington, Indiana, where he works at the IU
Herman B Wells Library. He has poems published in Open: Journal of
Arts & Letters, Writers Resist, Literary Orphans, and Dime Show
Review. He enjoys meeting other writers and invites you to follow him
on Twitter @Outraged_Poet