First Storm of the Season
Outside, thick
pewter clouds hurl
rain at the windows in
slanted sheets, as the wind
twirls leafy branches in a dance.
I read while the dog sleeps,
deaf to the neighbor’s rhythmic
drumbeat seeping through the walls.
The storm
blows itself out.
A weary sun blesses
the cloud tops, sculpting
heaps of candescent confections.
I stand beside the glistening
apple tree. A shaft of sunlight warms
my face, cool air caresses outstretched limbs.
Rain-dappled ginger beckons
from the garden. Blazing tangerine,
awash with miniature, reflective worlds.
This poem is from the chapbook response by Patricia J. Boyle (Finishing Line Press), and can be found at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/response-by-patricia-j-boyle/
Patricia J. Boyle is a San Francisco Bay Area poet and author. A former meteorologist and retired teacher, she draws inspiration from the natural world and human nature. Her writing has appeared in many anthologies, including the California Writers Club Literary Review, Havik, Voices of the Valley, and Wingless Dreamer publications. Her work has won awards from Wow! Women on Writing, Writer’s Digest, and Bay Area organizations. She is past president of the Tri-Valley Branch of the California Writers Club and author of the young adult fantasy novel, Traitor in the Realm. This is her first chapbook. Visit her at www.patriciajboyle.com and at https://www.facebook.com/PatricaJBoyle/
The Paddock Review 