dVerse Poetics: Rain rein reign

Today Lillian is hosting Poetics at dVerse Poets Pub. She is asking that we rain on, rein in, reign over…just don’t rain on her parade! No doom and gloom, no politics, no naysayers – sounds like a plan to me! The Pub opens at 3:00 pm EST. Bring your best umbrella, your best scepter, your best horse!

Lovely Day
I remember when I was a little girl –
but then I’ve always been little –
Dancing on our front porch while
the rain came down.
Isn’t it a lovely day….
Spring rain happy,
summer rain quick,
autumn rain melancholy,
winter rain snowy…
I was by turns Fred Astaire
and then I was Ginger Rogers.
Dancing on the walkway in front of the house,
Dancing on the walkway around the house,
Dancing dancing dancing.
I remember taking you out into the rain
and dancing –
You threw back your head and laughed.
You had never danced in the rain before.
Like a summer rain you came and went.

I still dance in the rain.
I wear Wellies now –
Hello Kitty!

public domain photo

30 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Shawna
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 14:58:14

    OMG, please tell me this is legit and that you really wear those.

    Reply

    • kanzensakura
      Sep 12, 2017 @ 16:20:30

      Oh yes ma’am I do. My husband gave them to me for Valentine’s day a few years ago. I’ve just about worn them out and am ready to google Amazon for another pair!

      Reply

      • Shawna
        Sep 12, 2017 @ 17:55:53

        Do you know how many cool points that gets you?! Mega awesome, girl. 🙂

        I just love the word “galoshes,” while we’re on the topic.

        Reply

        • kanzensakura
          Sep 12, 2017 @ 17:57:30

          galoshes is a great word! Ha! You ought to see me outside in the rain, in my wellies swinging my wakizashi (now that is a fun word as well), and doing forms. That give me giggle points!

          Reply

  2. lillian
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 16:34:17

    OH TONI!!!! I watched every minute of the film you posted. How I love the old musicals…there is something refreshingly naive about them. I did not know you loved to dance as much as I do! I still have my tap shoes….I missed my calling, being born in the wrong generation. I have no doubt that in a previous life I was a dancer. Did you know I once danced with 200+ other people at the half-time of a University of Iowa football game for Gene Kelly? We all wore yellow slickers, used yellow umbrellas and danced to the huge university band playing “Singin’ in the Rain.” Mr Kelly was an artist in residence at the University Dance Department and was honored at the end of his week at the football game. In the end of our dance, we went into the formation of an umbrella, which, if you were sitting up in the stands, you could see. We were told not to bother Mr. Kelly…..but, I went up to him in the tunnel before we all entered and introduced myself to him, telling him I was the oldest dancer that day, in my 40s…the rest were University students…I’d heard about the tryouts and without telling my family went, and was selected! 🙂 Your poem brought back all those wonderful memories and I’m sitting here smiling! 🙂

    Reply

    • kanzensakura
      Sep 12, 2017 @ 16:42:54

      🙂 We did the same thing when I was in high school except we had girls in yellow slickers as we were wearing band uniforms. But we swayed and moved in and out of the umbrella like rain. I always took and still do, the opportunity to dance in the rain. My husband tries to drag me in when it is lightning outside. But he gave up back during the summer. Your band day dance made me smile hugely. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Kelly at the airport at one time. A fine funny gentleman. I used to dance in the long hall in our old homeplace. ‘m afraid I’m not much of a tapper though, I’m more of a ballroom person. loved Fred Astaire with a passion and always tried to be so smooth…My husband and I now do ballroom dancing in our kitchen. We love the Argentinian Tango.

      Reply

    • merrildsmith
      Sep 13, 2017 @ 21:19:51

      Oh, how cool, Lillian!

      Reply

  3. Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 16:38:33

    Oh yes.. those wellies must be perfect for a rainy day, blessings,

    Reply

  4. alisonhankinson
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 17:24:55

    Love the idea of dancing in the rain on a porch…the rain must be warm…

    Reply

  5. whimsygizmo
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 18:03:00

    I love this, from the raining sky to the bottoms of those Hello Kitty galoshes. Fantastic.

    Reply

  6. nosaintaugustine
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 18:04:52

    From “Summer rain quick” to- “Like a summer rain you came and went quickly”- Oh, my heart!

    Reply

  7. Frank Hubeny
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 18:46:30

    People come and go like rain and I suspect the best we can do, as I think you are suggesting, is to dance through all of it.

    Reply

  8. jillys2016
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 18:54:48

    Charming

    Reply

  9. Beverly Crawford
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 18:58:41

    “Dance like no one is watching”! I loved your poem, and admire the wellies!

    Reply

  10. Vivian Zems
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 19:13:08

    I loved the poem and the wellies are too cute!

    Reply

  11. Mary (tqhousecat)
    Sep 12, 2017 @ 21:59:23

    Love Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers. Never learned to dance, 2 left feet, but I love watching. And also singing in the rain, now that I can do, with Gene Kelley and Deborah Reynolds. Great poem!

    Reply

  12. kim881
    Sep 13, 2017 @ 03:00:18

    Thank you for the clip, Toni! It reminded me of rainy Saturdays and Sundays watching repeats of black and white musicals on the TV and dancing on the lino with my granddad.
    I have been imagining you in your Hello Kitty wellies – what a blast! I have green wellies at home and a black shiny pair with bright pink bits at my daughters for when I visit her and walk the dogs.
    Now to the poem – loved it! It’s me too:
    ‘I remember when I was a little girl –
    but then I’ve always been little’
    and
    ‘I was by turns Fred Astaire
    and then I was Ginger Rogers’.

    Reply

  13. sarahrussellpoetry
    Sep 13, 2017 @ 09:26:40

    How wonderful to introduce your love to dancing in the rain. Yes, some come like a sudden shower and leave as quickly, but leave us more verdant for having been there.

    Reply

  14. annell4
    Sep 13, 2017 @ 09:44:36

    I was touched by: “Like a summer rain you came and went.” Perfect!

    Reply

  15. merrildsmith
    Sep 13, 2017 @ 21:23:19

    I love the image of you dancing on the porch in the rain as a little girl–and still.
    And I love your Hello Kitty! rain boots. When my younger daughter was in college, she also had a pair. I’m not sure if she still has them. She also had a Hello Kitty toaster, sheets, and some other things.
    I love the old movie musicals. I’m off to bed now–I’ll be dreaming of Fred and Ginger! 🙂

    Reply

  16. Kathy Reed
    Sep 13, 2017 @ 23:56:15

    I like the summer “quick” rain.:-)

    Reply

  17. Vandana Sharma
    Sep 14, 2017 @ 06:20:10

    o sweet childhood innocent days, many ways to dance in the rain kids knew!

    Reply

  18. purplepeninportland
    Sep 15, 2017 @ 20:16:57

    your descriptions of seasonal rains are wonderful, Toni! Gotta love those boots.

    Reply

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