How welcome,
sweet stale
smell of
rain
on summer dust
and sizzling
pavement,
a sigh of relief
from summer
heat.
Sodden reek,
muddy debris,
when long
the rains,
and bare
the hills.
sgreerpitt
Sunday July 26, 2009
You can read and see a bit more about our Sunday flood in the post below. You can read more (and nicer) poems on the prompt "fragrance" at One Single Impression.
Mine is only one of thousands of families impacted by the negative consequences of mountain top removal strip mining. Please learn more about this devastating mining technique and add your voice to those asking for stricter controls, and an end to the most destructive practices. Check out the I Love Mountains website. This isn't a "tree hugger" issue, its a people lover issue!! My family is lucky, only our yard and driveway (and peace of mind) are damaged this time. Many people lose their homes and their health as the result of mountain top removal strip-mining.
14 comments:
Oh Sue, I can remember the sweet smell of dust after a summer rain! I truly enjoyed this. I can recall the muddy debris on the hillside, and all of us little children taking a muddy ride. The smell was amazing.
You evoked that pungent, musky earth smell straight to my nose...this was wonderful! It's one of the most beautiful smells, isn't it? Thank you for sharing your words.
Nicely done, with an important punch at the end of the post.
I have waded through such debris and found it to be a curious, mixed blessing. Beautiful poem, Sue. Thanks.
Hi Sue, we had a summer rain that left thirty-three inches and bunches of mud in our home back in '79.
The Corps of Engineers had a flood prevention plan but the tree lovers protested so nothing was ever and has never been done. Progress moves slowly, we moved faster.
Our flooding problem was city development of paved streets and parking lots so the water ran to us soooooo much faster.
Yours sure did make a mess out of your neighborhood.
..
Your pretty mural is progressing nicely.
..
My summers in the south bronx were strangely similar. a slaked landscape, steamy by rain.
Beautiful and important.
Rain can evoke so many emotions can't it? Here in BC (for us at least) its a welcome relief from the heat and an aid with the forest fires that are always a summer threat. What you've shared here is so true.
the smell of rain on the wind is a glorious thing. your contrast is a welcome change from where this prompt took my thoughts.
I was rather taken aback by the first stanza because I know that smell when the rain begins after it's been hot and dry. It IS stale and then evolves into a glorious freshness which cannot be described.
You know, I don't smell the rain as much up here in the north as when I lived in a hot state.
I laughed when I read the last part of your poem. The hay field behind was cut last week, and now the manure truck (fresh) comes three or four times a day. Some fragrant things are just plain stinky!!
This takes me back. Lovely writing!
The smell of summer rain is exquisite. The flooding caused by man, not so much.
Sue,
I have watched films of the horrible things done by strip mining...it is heart breaking.
I know what you mean about welcoming a rain falling on the dusty earth....it is one of nature`s blessings to our planet.
There have been times I smelled rain in the air befor it showed the drops falling.
that smell is very nice...!
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