The summer of hot rain

ran May to September.

After undue autumn showers,

ample winter snow, and

persistent spring storms,

we nearly drowned in July.

 

The river quivered, surface

tension pushed to its limit,

meniscus ready to burst…

 

then the torrent…

 

crossing roads, filling gullies and ditches,

rising to the water works.

Contamination

despite the sandbags and levees.

 

Skeleton crews staffed airless

downtown offices, queued for

port-a-potties on the streets.

The true beginning of

business casual.

 

The sporadic stream

at the bottom of our yard

never dried up. Dogs

tracked in mud

hourly.

 

Stuck inside, no summer in sight.

 

We craved sunshine.

We craved vitamin D.

We craved vitamin F (friends)

and C (cookouts)

and L (laughter).

 

We craved the nutrients we lacked.