We sit under the tin roofed veranda
as far back from the splattering waterfall
falling from the rusty edge
into the sodden road before us
Every few minute the dog
keeping us company “ahems”
or “harrumphs” to express his
boredom and disapproval of
the ceaseless deluge.
The drip-drip intensifies
to a rat-tat-tat
heralded with a crack
of lightning overhead
The dog whines and
covers his eyes with a paw
yet peeping out spots
a desperate rat swimming past
a deep throated growl precedes
his leaping forth with a splash
the dog obscures his target
frantic ripples quickly
flattened by the rain
Returning to our side
shivering and shuddering
the dog slinks away at a shout
from the house owner – our host
No good stray he mutters
Tina Turner’s singing
I Can’t Stand the Rain
is now an earworm
the novelty of monsoon washed away…
© Andrew Wilson, 2024
Over at the Poets Pub our host Björn Rudberg (brudberg) in Meeting the Bar: Critique and Craft challenges us to write using as much Onomatopoeia as possible to enhance the sound of our poem…
