Living Frugally Poem by Ivan Donn Carswell

I may be shy a few superlatives
but grant me space – the sound
of thunder rumbling and a gentle
rain that soothes maternally says
“be at peace within this place”

it is an observation voiced frugally
in desiccated choruses – unforgiving
failures played by sunburned
consciousness without a living
start or less forgiving end

clemency is nodding as you stand
shirtless simply listening in cool
raindrops to a sole koel calling,
“hey, are you here yet? ” An
intimate massage of its majesty

today I cleaned gutters with hands
cut easily by edges I already knew
tacitly small sacrifices that drew
blood – deformed testimony to this
rainfall’s munificence

and yet you claim there’s no need
for change because anything as
godlike as this is plainly too good
to be estranged – or compromised
by further dehydration
© 19 December 2009, I.D. Carswell