after work (a song I sing) a dance

home!

here I am
come home from work

the heat is itch
and sweat
and swelter

clouds boiling
above
and all the way
to the horizon

strip off
the uniform shirt
strip off the pants

unpeel the socks
throw away the shoes

stand quite still
outside
the back door . . .

on the lawn

raise a sound
that sounds
like chanting

chant in the direction
of the sky

raise my arms . . .
chant
into the sky

make it sound
a little like . . .

just a little bit
like rain
than stamp
with each foot
in turn

stamp and stamp
the dust to rise

stamp
to make a place
for mud
when it falls

surely
it will fall

if I chant my song
full
loud enough
and long

shake the stones
from fallen peaches

squeeze
in a hand
one strawberry
(over-ripe
and not enough
of sprinkled water)

but
tonight
(hide the moon
behind a cloud)

tonight
(let the thunder
rumble)

tonight . . .

tonight
just
let it rain

~