It’s raining
not a heavy rain
certainly not enough rain

But it’s the first rain here in months 

The scent of it is sweet
the sound of it is like
a gentle drum beating 
the rhythm of a blessing 
for the parched Earth

It lasted only a few minutes

Like someone taking 
a not yet empty plate 
or a not completely read book
away from me
and my heart cries

‘Wait! I wasn’t finished yet!’  

I wrote this in 2014 as I was living in drought-stricken Northern California.