A Raindrop’s Primer

by Jean Kindratsky

illustrated by Krista Mason

Fall

how to fall?

           start small

                       fog mist mizzle

                       droplet drizzle

drift

gather grow

           heavy below

                       thin on top

                       rain drop

fall

bigger still

           now thrills

                       dive in sheets

                       surf slakes of wind

pelt –

Up.

Up?

Up.

geysers, fountains, sprinklers,

boot splash jumps,

archimedes screws and man-made pumps

Wet

any child running wild, without hat, umbrella, boots

tickle scalps

drool down necks

slip in sleeves

soak up hems

seep through socks

should they hide somewhere inside

tease fingertips

go window slide.

rainbow oil

           sink in soil

                       run ‘round roots

                       inspire shoots

water

but –

what if the soil’s so dry it won’t let wet in?

that’s advanced,

but let’s begin.

hy-dro-pho-bi-ci-ty

hydro equals water

phobic equals fear

who could be afraid of me?

parched ground, grass brown, trees tinder?    Fire

old nails, holey pails, red spots?                        Rust

dry earth, seed’s birth, hot sun?                        Drought

loose dirt, wind flirts, grit flies?                           Dust

Flow

mountainsides make great divides,

downhill tumble, rill and runnel

rapids froth,

round

           rocks

                       rush

getting lower,

brook, creek, crick

moving slower,

stream and river

rise, fall, change

oxbow

too slow

left behind again

standstill?

permeate, percolate, saturate, flow

mud puddle, pond,

slough, ditch, hole

see what you can do?

me?

yes, you.

are we through?

Review.

raindrops must

           drift and grow

                       fall land run

                                  wet fill flow

and then?

begin again

evaporate

gather clouds

wait for weight

                       leap