Rain Fell As Never Before Poem by Deanna Samuels

Rain fell as it had never fallen before
Clouds black as ink had hung low for hours over the land
Enveloping even the shortest of maturing tree
Vision could be measured by the length of an arm

That day started as any day normally does
Sun arises from behind the horizon and distant hills
Lighting up the clear blue sky as it rose slowly, higher and higher
Until the whole scape below sprang into daily life
Townsfolk emerged from their homes and abodes
Started up cars to drive to place of work
Children lined up at street curb to await school bus
Mums and tots walked slowly to the local shops
Farmers seated on tractors ploughing the fields
Cows earlier milked, turned into lush green meadows to graze
Morning mail being delivered, newspaper vendors on street corners
A normal hustle and bustle for both town and country folk
By then, the morning sun was warm and welcoming
Trees in full bloom dressed in their green best
Birds chirped their morning chords, cattle lowed, sheep bleated
Countryside peaceful, corn swayed in the light breeze
All around was quiet, almost too quiet
As though something terrible was about to break
Slowly, very slowly at first, dark clouds began to form
The light breeze of before changed quickly to a brisk wind
Litter bins were blown over, contents strewn about
Clouds continued to gather, combined into one
Not a glimpse of previous blue sky was left in sight
With the bright sunlight gone, visibility was dulled
Darker and darker, blacker and blacker
Ever more threatening the massed cloud became
Wind changed rapidly to heavy gusts and then to a gale
Those first drops of rain fell as a gentle coin sized splatter
Nothing to panic about, a few umbrellas went up
However, people began to look towards the darkened sky, became alarmed
Suddenly and without any further warning, the heavens opened
A deluge began like no other before
People scattered quickly wherever they were
Running to find cover, any cover to escape such fall
Even those first few moments, were soaked to the skin
The clouds became even more dense, descended lower, visibility almost gone
Rain fell as sheets of torrents without stopping, without relief
Crushing, drowning all low-lying shrubs and buds
Majestic trees drooped, shuddered under such weight
Lightning followed simultaneously, lit up the sky
Reminiscent of old silent black and white flickering cinematic relief
Thunder too, rumbled without pause, crashed, rolled its angry tones
Hurricane force winds arose, blew through town and country without mercy
Uprooting, snapping trees; blowing off roofs; sign posts and poles ripped away
On and on the storm ravaged the land, creating chaos of unfathomable damage
Enraged the lakes with pounding waves; moored small craft smashed to pieces
Displaced the shore shingle, drove beach sands up and over on to higher ground
People huddled together in whatever shelter they had found
Though many a refuge had succumbed to the violent force wind
All waiting, hoping, praying for the deluge, the winds, the storm to ease
Hours had passed with the storm never ceasing, never abating
Then, a most tiny glint became visible on the far, far horizon
Slowly, very slowly, became brighter with a tint of blue across the distant sky
The black rain clouds above eased into dark grey
Torrents reduced to a heavy rain then turned into a drizzle
Rays of sun broke through from beneath the far clearing clouds
Mercifully, the terrible storm had almost blown over
Gale winds calmed to a fresh cool breeze
Remaining clouds above broke up and floated away
A warming sun now fully shines upon all the land below
People emerged from whatever refuge taken
Breathed a sigh of relief to be alive
Surveyed the flooding, extensive damaged caused to town and country
Acknowledging it would take many months to repair, replace, put right
Knowing, accepting that by working together the task would be done
Making their town, farmlands, countryside whole again

True to nature, the flood waters abated
Foliage and grasses perked up, began to revive
Rivers and lakes diminished, returned to a steady flow
Town and country slowly slipped back into a daily routine
Everyone had become as one, undaunted, faced and overcame the aftermath
The aftermath of the most unrelenting, cyclonic storm that they had ever known


Poem written at Richmond Hill, Ontario - 11th September 2018