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In the heat of summer as afternoon
wears on as octogenarians care for
their flower gardens & sprinklers jet

across expanses of lawn the water
level in the water tower of each
little town slowly goes down

So much of what I’ve been given
slips through my fingers evaporates
into open air goes down the drain

So much sweat so many tears
over lesser desires I’ve aspired to
have weighted my prayers for years

with disgruntled self-tickling sighs
over what has come to nothing
Yahweh I pray now for rain

Photo by Anthony Lee on Unsplash

D.S. Martin

D.S. Martin is the author of five poetry collections, including Angelicus (2021), Ampersand (2018), and Conspiracy of Light: Poems Inspired by the Legacy of C.S. Lewis (2013) — all from Cascade Books. He is Poet-in-Residence at McMaster Divinity College, the Series Editor for the Poiema Poetry Series. He and his wife live in Brampton, Ontario; they have two adult sons.

3 Comments

  • S Cowger says:

    Love the way this poem falls down the page from a broad cast of water to the eventual intimacy of sweat and ensuing deep need. My soul agrees every time I read it.

  • Laurie Klein says:

    “So much of what I’ve been given
    slips through my fingers”

    “Yahweh I pray now for rain”

    As do I. Nodding. Bending a knee.
    Thank you for this invitation . . .

  • rena says:

    That 4th stanza ! yes Lord I too pray for rain.
    such poetry helps sprinkle drops of precious water on a parched and thirsty soul
    thanks