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April Rain
by
Nancy Simpson


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In memory of my father
who loved to sit on a covered deck
and watch rain, I sit sheltered
and sip coffee on my covered deck
high on Cherry Mountain.
Near treetops I sing louder than
the downpour that falls inches from me.
"You like my new house?" I trill
above the spill of raindrops.
Mr. Whiskers asleep on my feet
under the wicker seat, wakes.
He thinks my song is for him.
I look deep into gray mist, eye to eye
with thin green leaves of a thousand trees
and sing welcome to white blossoms
on dogwood trees no one planted.
I am singing. I am singing to my father
who loved to sit close to rain.


This poem first appeared in
Lights in the Mountains: Stories, Essays and Poems by Writers
Living In and Inspired by the Southern Appalachian Mountains
(Winding Path Publishing, 2003).
Used here with the author's permission.


Nancy Simpson (1938 - 2018) had deep roots in Georgia, though she was born and raised in Miami, Florida. In the ‘60s, she moved to Western North Carolina, where the mountains inspired her to begin writing poetry. Author of three poetry collections and writer-in-residence at the John Campbell Folk School for fifteen years, Nancy founded the Netwest branch of the North Carolina Writers Network and spent many years teaching writing in public schools and colleges.


Post New Comment:
rrcampbe:
I am currently living in very hot India and this poem sure makes me miss the back porch of my cabin on Santeetlah not far from Nancy. Rain and coffee in Western North Carolina is extremely therapeutic. Throw in a few trout and you have a recipe for a perfectly idyllic life.
Posted 04/08/2011 07:25 AM
dianapoet:
Beautiful poem. I can feel like I'm there.
Posted 04/07/2011 09:32 PM
Allen M:
I can smell the dripping leaves and soaked loam. And I can hear what the song means.
Posted 04/07/2011 07:10 PM
karenpaulholmes:
I loved this poem when I read it before, Nancy, and I love it now. Such a sweet tribute to your father.
Posted 04/07/2011 03:04 PM
Verser:
I am so much a sun person, but I have a friend now gone who liked the rain. I never quite got it, but your poem makes me want to rethink!
Posted 04/07/2011 10:46 AM
trailpny:
Lovely poem. I love that Mr. Whiskers thinks the song is for him!
Posted 04/07/2011 10:17 AM
dotief@comcast.net:
Very nice. Reading this, I feel as if I am there.
Posted 04/07/2011 08:26 AM
Julianne Carlile:
I want to be there.
Posted 04/07/2011 08:04 AM


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