the sky opening in poetry

when it’s raining
there is peace
when it’s raining
there is simply less
they can ask you to do
when it’s raining
you just hunker down inside for a while
secure in the knowledge that expectations
have been put on hold
it’s raining
just be for a while

when it’s raining
it’s dark
there’s less light to distract you
when it’s raining
the hiss and the steady pounding
meld into glorious white noise
like the heartbeat of your mother
before you were even born
when it’s raining
you can be blind and deaf for a little while
alone with your soothing thoughts that
there’s nothing you can do for a while
because it’s raining
things can be put off for now

when it’s raining
just watch the unwatchable
when it’s raining
just listen to the unlistenable
when it’s raining
there’s not much you can do
so don’t beat yourself up
for all of the things you’re not doing
it’s raining
rest for a while

when it’s raining I sometimes
wish it would never stop raining
that the sun would never return
with all the expectations
that a rainbow brings

it’s raining
clean me
it’s raining
protect me
it’s raining
why can’t we be
clean and safe like this
forever?