English #frapalywo: A Voice in the Cool Dampness

It’s so cliché—to hear singing in the rain—
but that’s just what I hear, waking me from
deep sleep, the sonorous melody resounding
through torrential downpour beating on my
windowpane. A soprano’s solo—her voice
crescendos to the eighth and highest note
of the musical octave, and the floodgates of
heaven burst open. I’m drenched, red clay
gushing between my toes, my slip translucent;
I wear no bra to conceal my breasts drawing
forward in the cool dampness. By the pond I
catch the canary yellow feathers of a baby
duck. She dips her head under water, webbed
feet splashing with the raindrops. A flip in my
stomach tells me she is my mystery soloist,
and when she comes up for air, beak open, I
part my lips, and a sudden gust of wind sweeps

both
our
breaths
away…

© 2017 Nortina Simmons

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Written for English #frapalywo. #Frapalywo is a German poetry challenge for Mrs. Paulchen’s poetry week. All this week, we’re writing poems about our theme, noise. Today’s prompt is “in the rain.”