Voice of the Rain

A children’s poem – written waaaaay back in high school.

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Rain says on the roof:

these are joy-tears I weep,

hush now, my patter

will sing you to sleep.

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Some days it shouts: Ha!

You’re all wet, April fool,

my friend it was warm out

but now you’ll be cool.

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And rain will play tricks

and fall in hard stones,

or crystals of whiteness

and silvery cones.

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And these say: Come play,

let me nip at your ear

until a warm day

makes me all disappear.

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(c) 1965, 2016 Betty Hayes Albright

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(A note to everyone living in the drought stricken areas of the country:  I hold you in my thoughts. It has been dry even here in the northwest, but not as devastating as those states to the south and southwest.  Wishing you all rain, and containment of the fires.)

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First Gift

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(written for my young sons in 1979)

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Children, lay your presents down,

come look and see what I just found –

a tree outside all flocked in snow

that doesn’t need a wire to glow;

playful squirrels – the romping kind

that you never have to wind.

A snowman’s outside every home,

not one is made of Styrofoam.

There’s peace and quiet for your heart

not found inside a shopping cart,

and living color in a smile

that’s brought to you without a dial. *

The wind is singing up the street

to rosy cheeks and dancing feet,

to easy laughter, mellow sighs,

whispering of the grand surprise

that comes on winter’s longest night –

the promise of returning Light.

So children, lay your presents down,

behold the gift that Love has found.

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© 1979, 2014 Betty Hayes Albright

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* Waaay back in the late 60’s and early 70’s, certain t.v. shows were “brought to you in living color” (as opposed to the more common black and white) – on televisions that still had dials. Funny – seems so antiquated now.

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Goodnight Spider

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(a children’s poem)

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Daddy long-legs

on the ceiling,

can you know

how I’ve been feeling

as you lurk

above my head

while I lie

tucked in my bed?

Just keep in mind

my policy:

don’t spin

in my proximity!

Stay overhead

and you can be

guardian watching

over me.

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© 2014 Betty Hayes Albright

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Photo 10-8-2014 – apologies for the blurry photo again.

This little guy has been above the bed for a month now. Might have to name him.

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Monarch

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Photo: “Monarch In May” by Kenneth Dwain Harrelson

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(a children’s poem)

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Butterfly lands upon a mirror,

sees himself from front to rear,

hairy body, skinny legs,

“It seems I’m made of pegs and bags –

we butterflies are ugly things!”

Alas, he cannot see his wings,

how elegant he is from here

where we see him above the mirror –

so with his beauty still unknown

the monarch flies back to his throne.

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© 2014 Betty Hayes Albright

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Lady Bug – 2014 posting

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Polka-dotted lady bug,

I would give you such a hug

but if I held you close to me

I’m afraid you’d cease to be

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so I shall place you on my finger,

maybe you won’t go, but linger

till a breeze lifts you away

to meet again another day.

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© 2013, 2017 Betty Hayes Albright

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(Photo from http://www.wallpaprest.com)

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Drop – (a children’s poem)

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There hangs a drip that never drops,

on philodendron stem it stops,

hanging like a diamond tear

from the lobe of leafy ear.

A tear of joy? It will not say,

it just evaporates away.

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© 2013  Betty Hayes Albright 

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One Stormy Night – 2013 posting

(Just a silly little verse, written during one of our recent thunder storms.)

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Said Lightning to the thunder,

I am in charge of you!

You haven’t any color

but I’m electric blue.

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Said Thunder to the lightning,

I’m the one they hear.

You’re just a random fork of light

but I inspire fear.

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Said Lightning to the thunder,

I turn night time into day,

I’ll crack my whip and sheet the sky

while you just roll away.

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Said Thunder to the lightning,

‘t is I that moves the air.

You’re just a ziggy-zaggy flash

but I give earth a scare.

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Said Lightning to the thunder,

watch me – I’ll make a flame

by striking every target,

but thunder has no aim.

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Then from the ground rose Fire

writhing towards the sky,

I am master here now,

both of you can say goodbye.

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But just in time came Rain, who cried:

this land is all my own.         

I’m putting out your careless fire

now go – leave Earth alone.

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And still they argued back and forth

till Wind came out to play.

He laughed and roared with wild delight

and blew the storm away.

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© 2013, 2016  Betty Hayes Albright

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Voice of the Wind

(children’s poem, written 1965 – companion to “Voice of the Rain”)

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I’m here again birds,

climb my back for a ride,

I’ll teach you to dance

as we swoop and we glide.

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Now I’m off to the trees,

hello, hear me wail!

I’ll make your leaves tremble

by wagging my tail.

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I’ll bring you rare seeds

that blossom and flower

and leave you enjoying

a gentle spring shower

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Ahoy, blow me down,

your boat is too slow

but I’ll rub your sail

and help you to go.

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Now run and find shelter,

I’m in from the sea,

spinning and dizzy,

my eye cannot see.

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Goodbye, I must go now,

some sand dunes need changing,

and lo! There’s some dust

that needs rearranging.

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(c) 1965  Betty Hayes Albright

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Voice of the Rain – 2011 posting

(a children’s poem, written waaaaay back in high school)

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Rain says on the window:

it’s joy-tears I weep,

hush now, my patter

will sing you to sleep.

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Some days it shouts: Ha!

You’re all wet, April fool,

my friend it was warm out

but now you’ll be cool.

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And rain will play tricks

and fall in hard stones,

or crystals of whiteness

and silvery cones.

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And these say: Come play,

let me nip at your ear

until a warm day

makes me all disappear.

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(c) 1965, 2016 Betty Hayes Albright

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to be continued in “Voice of the Wind”

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