Thursday, October 15, 2015

Rain, St. James Park


This rain, cold, already
has drenched my American
walking shoes and socks,
each step a frigid squish
to the tune of Yankee Doodle,
like stepping through snow
covering amber waves of grain.

Summer’s last day, already
embracing fall, ivy leaves
barely beginning to redden
against a gray-white but no blue
sky, a few yellows dotting
the trees, a slight turn
to impressionism.

The park’s perimeter, already
surrounded by commuters in cars
and on bicycles, a rainy mayhem
of horns and watery whooshes
splashing unwary walkers and
joggers in the dawn’s early light,
the back of my English sweatshirt
already soaked by a combination
of steady rain and small umbrella.

I’m smiling.


Photograph: St. James Park, London, taken Sept. 22, 2015. The London Eye is barely visible above the trees in the left center of the photograph.

2 comments:

Jody Lee Collins said...

Oh, Glynn....this was wonderful. I've never been to Europe but felt like I visited via your words--especially these,
"a rainy mayhem
of horns and watery whooshes."

Sounds like Seattle--you should come visit us sometime. You'd feel right at home.

Jerry said...

Wonderful. Must have been hard to leave.