David Crandall | + Follow Poet |
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It Sometimes Rains in Southern California

As a kid in Southern California
I loved rainy days.
However much it rained,
I wanted it to rain more.
Mom had us buckle up our rain boots to go to school - 
And put on our hooded yellow raincoats.
Mrs. Stillman, our second grade teacher, made popcorn on rainy days. 
On the way home, 
Gutters became rivers.
Leaves became boats.
Small lakes formed in the backyard.
Sometimes, rarely, we enjoyed thunder and lightning.
How fun it was to get soaked,
And then to come in, shower, and put on dry clothes,
And watch the rain through the window.
On the day after, the sidewalks were littered with worms,
But there was no smog, and, suddenly, the San Gabriel mountains appeared.
Rain was a rare treat
For a kid in Southern California.

Copyright © David Crandall | Year Posted 2024

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Christuraj Alex Date: 7/14/2024 10:29:00 PM "Gutters became rivers. Leaves became boats." Wonderful memories. Congratulations! Login to Reply David Crandall Date: 7/15/2024 9:56:00 AM Thank you Christuraj! Here where the weather is mild, I remember we kids used to get excited by anything different like really windy days, too!

thriveni c mysore Date: 7/14/2024 9:27:00 PM 'leaves became boats' 'fun to get soaked' very interesting write dear poet, a different picture indeed. congratulations, happy writing. Login to Reply David Crandall Date: 7/15/2024 9:54:00 AM Thanks Thriveni!

Jay Narain Date: 7/14/2024 10:24:00 AM Lovely poem. In 70s, it rarely rained in southern California. Pretty nostalgic for me. Congrats on win. Login to Reply David Crandall Date: 7/14/2024 10:38:00 AM Thanks Jay - did you live in SoCal?

Crystol Woods Date: 7/14/2024 9:39:00 AM Oh I enjoyed this very much David! I loved hearing your voice in the remembrance of how you experienced the rain. A teacher can leave a lasting memory like this can't they? And your line about worms was so real, I'd almost forgotten! Wonderful as usual! Xo Login to Reply David Crandall Date: 7/14/2024 10:15:00 AM It's nice to hear you liked it, Crystol! I wrote another poem about those worms. It's called "Worms" - lol.

Gary Radice Date: 7/8/2024 12:04:00 AM This is a lovely atmospheric write David. There is something so "poetically magical" about rain isn't there? "Leaves became boats" is a great line. It's the poet in you capturing your memories as a child and your imagination. The fact that rain was a treat hints at the hot weather you had most of the time. I forever remember the petrichor of rain as a child. Cheers - Gary Login to Reply Crystol Woods Date: 7/14/2024 9:40:00 AM Ooogreat word! My vocabulary for the day! David Crandall Date: 7/8/2024 9:35:00 AM Thanks Gary. Haha, just had to look up petrichor, and yes, I can remember it too!

Hilda Greenhough Date: 6/29/2024 6:57:00 PM You must be a duck. Kidding aside, rain is wonderful. Enjoy the rain and all that grows when it does. Login to Reply David Crandall Date: 6/30/2024 8:31:00 AM haha, that reminds me of the song, "if the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck, I'd swim to the bottom, and never come up"!

Karen Jones Date: 6/29/2024 12:34:00 AM Enjoyed your poem it was very interesting Login to Reply David Crandall Date: 6/29/2024 8:27:00 AM Glad you enjoyed it Karen. I'm not used to free verse. I'm pretty fortunate to live in SoCal weather, but anything different - like rain - is fun.

Quoth Theraven Date: 6/28/2024 9:22:00 PM David, The Southern California rains. A blessing arisen from a curse. Promise of the desert, some say all too well rehearsed. -Richard Login to Reply David Crandall Date: 6/28/2024 9:57:00 PM Thanks for stopping by Richard, your comment is more of a poem than my poem - lol, but it's true, SoCal rain is a rare blessing.