Monday, August 16, 2010

Rain by Don Paterson

Buy Poetry!  Support Poets!!


Rain
by Don Paterson
from:  "Rain"

I love all films that start with rain:
rain, braiding a windowpane
or darkening a hung-out dress
or streaming down her upturned face;

one big thundering downpour
right through the empty script and score
before the act, before the blame,
before the lens pulls through the frame

to where the woman sits alone
beside a silent telephone
or the dress lies ruined on the grass
or the girl walks off the overpass,

and all things flow out from that source
along their fatal watercourse.
However bad or overlong
such a film can do no wrong,

so when his native twang shows through
or when the boom dips into view
or when her speech starts to betray
its adaptation from the play,

I think to when we opened cold
on a starlit gutter, running gold
with the neon drugstore sign
and I'd read into its blazing line:

forget the ink, the milk, the blood—
all was washed clean with the flood
we rose up from the falling waters
the fallen rain's own sons and daughters

and none of this, none of this matters.

***************************************

"Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own." ~William Hazlitt

+++++

"Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind." ~James Russell Lowell

**************************************

"Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." ~Mark Twain

+++++

15 comments:

Wine and Words said...

Last night I woke up and thought that glorious thought, so long forgotten now...RAIN!!!!

Crapolla...damn sprinklers! Every time they moved across the leaves just so, they sounded like rain. Laughing I think they were. Laughing to have fooled one so in need of a washing.

Kelly said...

I really like this poem. Especially the last verse!

Speaking of rain....hope you got some last night. We had a small storm come through late.

Marion said...

Annie, but, but it was rain...just not from the sky! You cracked me up, girl. You are so not in need of a washing any more than the rest of us are, for sure. (I sent you a little piece of snail mail today, so look for it). Love & Blessings! xoxo

Kelly, we had a ten minute shower yesterday. It was mostly thunder to Cody's dismay. I was just emailing someone and sarcastically said that the shower brought the temperature all the way down to 98 with steam! I have September in the back of my mind at all times now. To me, September means Fall even if we still get the high temps. There's a subtle change in the air and in the sky. I can't wait!! Love & Blessings!! xo

quid said...

Ooooh... new poet for me. For once, no rain in Florida either. Hot hot hot.

quid

Pam said...

Love the poem; love the rain. Just with I could get some and get a break from this relentless heat!!!

Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...

love the line 'braiding a windowpane'...and aren't those sprinklers sometimes called 'Rainbirds'?

Marion said...

Quid, it's a vivid poem, no? I could just see the rain falling and the wet dress....I love poetry like this: simple and beautiful. Yes, we too need a break from the heat. I keep telling myself SOON! Blessings! xo

Pammie, didn't it make you feel like you'd taken a walk in a good cool shower? I love finding new poets. I'm going to buy this book and maybe the one before it he won an award for. I think the title was "Landing Light". I'll have to look that up. Stay cool! Blessings! xo

Marion said...

Teri, I think they are called rainbirds. Just beautiful imagery throughout the entire poem. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings!

ds said...

Ooooo...had not heard of Mr. Paterson before. Will investigate.
Thank you!

Bubba said...

I enjoyed a little rain myself this weekend, although briefly.

I especially liked his description of rain 'braiding a windowpane' - something I can plainly see.


WORD VERIFICATION: minosi
DEFINITION: just a shot of mimosa

Bubba said...

By the way...
You’ve been nominated by me!

Woman in a Window said...

I find it a peculiar poem, but Marion, you find all the best peculiar poems, modern voices, new takes. You've taught me a great deal about diversity of voice, Marion.

Here, it threatens to rain. The sky is poster purple and it is cool to cold outside. My kinda weather. I'm going to get into comfortable jeans, walking shoes, hook up to my mp3 and head out into what might just turn into a heck of a storm. Looks like it'll be brief but I'll probably end up in the middle of it. If I do promise to bring you with me.

xo
erin

Serena said...

Oh, I love that! And it's finally raining here. Yep, I'm going to have frizzy hair all week. The rain is such a welcome relief, though, and made for some heavenly sleeping weather last night. Tonight, too.:)

* said...

It's been threatening rain all day long. Talk about anti-climactic, I'm dying here!!! :) Still hoping for a downpour, a deluge (it fits my mood...).

xyzandme said...

Its monsoon season in this part of the world, as in it rains continuously for about 3 months..
The poets here write poems for first few days of the rains.. and just quit.. coz its no more " wonderful" and " beautiful.. its just plain old rain...