The rain (an update)

The rain makes
no demands upon us
—so it is at peace.
Not so, we with the rain
although we ought to be.





June 2019
Years ago working in customer service I realized my exchanges with rude folks were much easier if I had no expectations of them. I wrote a short poem about it, of which the lines “I make no demands upon you / so we are at peace” have been echoing in my soul ever since. Every time I try to explain the story, though, my friends protest. In the context of rain (where I am the rain), perhaps it makes more sense: I acknowledge myself as an object in another’s universe, and make no claims on their behavior or character as to how they will interact with me.