Tuesdays in April

Soft drops fall out of the sky, like manna from heaven.
Plip. Plink. Plop.
The streets,
glazed with water,
lay bereft of vehicles and noise.
The runner gazes down
at his reflection
matching pace, stride for stride, in the glassy road.
He looks back up, taking in the entirety of his surroundings.
The foreboding gray sky stands resolute,
a monochromatic backdrop
to the bursting blooms
of pink and white erupting from flowering trees.
Lawns of long-dormant grass
explode in vivid hues of green,
carpets of sod
nurtured by the life-giving rain.
Children traipse through puddles,
spinning umbrellas
in mesmerizing kaleidoscopes of color.
The scent of rain
looms heavy in the air.
The runner inhales
a deep breath,
feels the air in his nostrils,
and breaks into a grin,
running a hand through his soaking hair.
It is a Tuesday in April.
The birds are singing and the rain is cool against the skin.
The runner silently thanks whatever deity is out there
for the blissful joy
of being able to run
on a Tuesday in April.

Artist Statement
​This piece was inspired by a run I went on in April, when it was rainy and beautiful.