Rain’s House
BY DENVER BUTSON
this is rain’s kitchen
those are rain’s leftovers
that’s rain’s dish rack
there’s rain’s favorite coffee mug
the book rain was reading last night
is face down on rain’s side table
next to rain’s couch
rain would be embarrassed to know you have seen that
I never treat my books like that
rain would blush
but I was summoned just after dinner
to fall in some town somewhere
so I went off in a hurry
this is rain’s coat closet
go ahead look
everybody wants to
you see–there are rain boots
a rain coat (rain’s raincoat)
and an umbrella
just as is in everyone else’s closet
and there’s rain’s telephone
she still has a landline
I’m old-fashioned I guess
rain says
and there’s rain’s bed
rain’s night table
rain gets lonely sometimes
so the bed is always made
and rain is always ready
for anyone who might want to visit
and there’s rain’s bedroom window
looking out onto rain’s driveway
and down onto rain’s little street
oh and look here comes rain
you thought the air had changed
thought you noticed the trees
preparing for her
like a court might prepare for a princess
if a princess were rain
don’t be alarmed
you don’t have to hide
rain would love the company
after a night like she has had
and she already knows you’re here anyway
she started fixing her hair
as soon as she saw the curtain move
and she checked her lipstick
when she noticed your bicycle
rain’s lipstick is just as she likes it
red as a stoplight in the rain
of course
you watch as rain slows and runs
her fingers along the seat of your bicycle
the bicycle of someone who loves rain
leaning up against the side of rain’s house
and you up there
waiting for her
ready to help her undress
ready to touch her
just as you have always dreamed
that rain likes to be touched