Summer Rain

These are some of the memories stirred in me by the title “Summer Rain.” I lived with my Dad at the time 1st or 2nd grade; I always was sad to see summer come to an end, and a new school year beginning. The song, “Kentucky Rain” always reminded me of my mom. Most of the time, we didn’t know where she was; oh but I loved her so much, I always wanted to stay with her when I did finally see her.

Summer Rain

Swirling drops of crystal blue

dance and fall with leaves of gold 

School is starting soon, of this I’m certain

Elvis sings on the radio.

“Kentucky rain keeps pouring down”

Windshield wipers keep time, late into the night,

Mama sings, “Hey would you like to swing on a star? ”

Her voice is pretty

Pitter-patter, swoosh-swish.

I bury my face into her sweater;

she smells of cigarettes and perfume.

“ Raining cats and dogs,” she says.

My whimsical mind envisions the domestic animals

as they splatter the windshield,

 I groggily giggle. She strokes my hair.

Her right forefinger, rounder than the rest,

is slightly mangled. From a motorcycle accident,

or a meteorite, my drowsy mind cannot discern.

Please God, can I stay here forever.

Like this, in her arms, just us two.

Oh yes, except for the slightly drunken man behind the wheel.

 “Well a fish is a mammal–

no wait, she must have said animal—

 that swims in a brook.”

Please slightly drunken man sir, don’t let her take me home

“He can’t write his name or read a book”

If only I can stay awake. I hate school.

 “So by the way if you hate to go to school,

 you may grow up to be a mule.

” Pitter-patter, swoosh-swish.

I wish I were a fish, or a mule.