1.
black asphalt grit in between toes. 
the drive way cups its palms. thunder clapping
the lids of pots & pans escaped
from the cupboard. billy goes inside
because he's scared of being struck by lightning.
screen door mouthing the words to a song
by simon & garkfunkle playing on a record
in the yellow sun room. t-shirt stuck to skin.
wet feet on kitchen floor & towels from
the closet at the end of the hall. 

2.
i graduated college this morning & they 
were calling for rain. the sky held out-- 
coloring in spaces between ribs with graphite. 
clouds fast & morphing. i'm wondering if it's 
the ceremony that changes us or if we were 
altering along the way. the rain comes after. 
heavy & childlike. i walk out on the back step. 
grown man-woman, asking it to come down harder. 
drench me. dripping on the tile bathroom floor.