Quiet Steady Rain

Branches dance to orchestration
chimes caressed by the wind
water dripping between spaces
so many pebbles pounding the roof
gutters rush to find a way to meet with wet soil

Stretching antenna, snails head for high ground
water dive bombing around them

Trailing ants gone
safely stowed in the attic,
or deeply burrowed beneath soil.
Can they manage the onslaught
of rivulets flooding
their collapsed corridors?

Opened window listening
Sonata plays full volume.

Water splayed upon window sill
Cats shake their paws
watch with piercing eyes
to see where each drop
ends it's journey

No resounding thunder, no lightning strikes
just the windows mumbling to the whispering wind
the conversation during intermission lulls me to sleep.

Elizabeth Munroz

January 2010

Happy Birthday, Granny! A Poem.

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Granny sits in the chair closest to the door.

She is more than ready to go home.

Overwhelmed by kids running wild,

missing her quiet cuddly cats,

their warmth on her lap,

their sweet purring.

Even Sonny,

the one who growls like a panther,

the one who yowls loud enough to wake the neighbors,

and bangs on the door when locked out,

would get lost in this ruckus.

Granny is visiting at her daughter's house

to celebrate her seventieth,

the big seven oh.

She should have stayed home,

had ice cream with the cats

listening to mellow Beatles music

The other daughter arrived

with more grandchildren.

Some other kids are here, too.

Their friends?

running around being kids, all noisy and wild.

having fun.

Granny wishes she could jump around

and have rough and tumble fun

...and scream

The others are able to ignore

most of it.

90 decibels maybe.

high piercing pitch

sudden like an ice pick

thrust through a block of ice

What will she do with the presents?

Where will they fit in her luggage?

The knick knacks and doo dads,

the shawl and afghan,

the bubble bath,

the low necked blouse and too tight pants.

They must have forgot

Granny needs nothing

she has too much of everything

just give her love.

It's enough.

Really

and maybe

some tranquility.

Granny decides to hide,

sneaks into the computer room

wishing she could email herself

as an attachment.

She is counting down the days

until she sees

Sonny and Cher again.

Elizabeth Munroz
January 2010