The Man Who Loved Rain Woman
She loved him when she was a young girl, stepping softly on the rocks,
Holding her basket close, as rain fell on her dampened hair;
Seeing him across the river, she raised her eyes to his, and smiled;
Looking upon The Man Who Loved Gimiwanookwe.
Her love grew stronger when they first knew each other,
Silently, among the towering pines, hidden from their families,
She reached her hand to his, loving him as rain and thunder raged;
Giving herself to The Man Who Loved Gimiwanookwe.
Her love grew stronger when they defied their fathers and rode away,
Running the white horse full out against the wind, as rain pounded the world;
Laughing as she laid her face against his back, seeking shelter,
Resting upon The Man Who Loved Gimiwanookwe.
Her love grew stronger when she felt the consequences,
Of losing all she knew, all she was born to be,
A woman who chose to live hard and uncertain;
Keeping with The Man Who Loved Gimiwanookwe.
Her love grew stronger when they birthed their child,
He easing the child from her heaving body,
She looking silently to the heavens as rain melted her tears;
Trusting in The Man Who Loved Gimiwanookwe.
Her love grew stronger when their children grew away,
And he became restless, longing for his lands, his heritage;
Leaving her on a day of bitter darkness, rain fell on his bowed head;
Looking away from him, pulling inward, her sorrow met the rain;
Grieving for The Man Who Loved Gimiwanookwe.
On a day when rain softly touched the world,
He returned to her, with fear in his eyes --
She had never seen him afraid;
He told her he had dreamed of the white horse,
Running full out against the wind,
Ridden by The Man Who Loved Gimiwanookwe.
Her tears fell upon his face
And became the rain,
As she held him close,
And the day faded from his eyes.
The white horse thundered towards the heavens,
Running full out against the wind as she leaned against his neck.
Her tears pounded the world as she rode against the wind,
Urging her spirit horse to mount faster towards the sky.
She is Rain Woman, daughter of the spirit god,
Riding upon the white horse, thundering across the skies,
Her tears of pain and sorrow fall upon the earth;
Mourning The Man Who Loved Gimiwanookwe.
[Written by Deb Radke for the contest 'Rain, The Story',
sponsored by Constance La France.]
[‘Gimiwanookwe’ from the Ojibwe language meaning ‘Rain Woman’. This poem is based on nothing other than my imagination, and I mean no disrespect to the Ojibwe peoples.]
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