When It Rains Poem by Merle Steinmann

When it rains, we have no control.



We can't tell it when to start,

we can't tell it when to stop.

We can't tell it to rain a little,

we can't tell it to rain a lot.



When we give our freedom to someone else

so they can govern us,

we have no control.



We can't tell them when to start,

we can't tell them when to stop.

We can't tell them to govern a little,

we can't tell them to govern a lot.



If it rains a little,

we squint our eyes and hurry along,

putting up with the inconvenience

so that the flowers will grow.



If they govern a lot,

we have to hold fast or hide

so as not to be washed away

by the downpour that cares little

about who or what

gets in its way.