We’ve finally entered rainy season here. In honor of it, I’ll share a poem by my favorite poet, Sara Teasdale. Her work is well worth reading — her passionate intensity astonishes me.

Spring Rain

by Sara Teasdale

I thought I had forgotten,
But it all came back again
To-night with the first spring thunder
In a rush of rain.

I remembered a darkened doorway
Where we stood while the storm swept by,
Thunder gripping the earth
And lightning scrawled on the sky.

The passing motor busses swayed,
For the street was a river of rain,
Lashed into little golden waves
In the lamp light’s stain.

With the wild spring rain and thunder
My heart was wild and gay;
Your eyes said more to me that night
Than your lips would ever say. . . .

I thought I had forgotten,
But it all came back again
To-night with the first spring thunder
In a rush of rain.

Doesn’t that give you shivers? It’s a perfect representation of the way the weather can carry you back in time to a certain moment. While I love the sunshine, I’ve found myself missing the rain. There’s nothing like the hint of it in the cooling breeze, knowing you need to be indoors by afternoon or you’ll get caught out. Like clockwork, the sky opens up and a curtain of water falls by four p.m. I love the way it smells, the way it softens the cityscape, and gives everything a different look. The streets empty out, everyone taking shelter to watch the display.

Thunder crackles and lightning booms. Sometimes the lights flicker, which is why my husband got me battery backup last year for our anniversary. It’s more romantic than it sounds; he’d noticed my frustration at losing work when the power went out. Now I don’t need to fear the storm. I can just enjoy it. I love seeing how one day of rain perks all the plants up, greening up the city.

Rain, to me, feels like a holiday, as if I should curl up before the window and watch the glorious display. I love the rushing sound of water trickling from eaves to pavement, the delicate tapping on the roof. It makes me want to slow down, snuggle up in my favorite blue fuzzy blanket, and light some candles.

What’s your favorite thing to do when it rains?