Overnight rain (aka Pending storm)
Pre-Election
Glitter on the patio
silty gold washed from a red tile roof
sticks to terracotta squares
already stained from fallen fig juice.
With stiff black bristles, sweep sweep back forth
to make a small mound, tempting to the dog,
into a dustpan shiny-as a holiday platter.
Disaster averted, two and four feet cheated,
no tell-tale signs on the impulsive purchase of a white area rug,
freshly shampooed.
Glitter shimmer shakes the leaves, coats neon green jade plants,
swims in a bird bath, on the heads of pottery frogs on the short wall.
Nothing changes but the weather, I groan, mouthing an old cliché,
and consider one more:
Older than the hills.
I fell for Be the Change and Si se Puede back then.
It’s the day before the day all votes will be collected,
like hopeful blue glitter, to rain down
while I dream, not hearing the dark rain outside.
–Sue Taylor
Susan Taylor is the host of The Electric Picnic, a show about Poetry, Prose, and Spoken Word heard Mondays 8-9am, Wednesdays 3-4pm and Saturdays 7-8pm
A wife, mother, and six-time grandmother., Susan loves living in a diverse and friendly neighborhood in San Diego, and can be seen walking her dog Duffy to coffee shops and happy hours.. Susan writes poems and short stories, tutors English, and is an avid volunteer with social justice organizations. She is the author of The Electric Picnic: Poetry For Nice People And Good Dogs. Her poems can also be found on haikuuniverse.com, thepoetryhighway.com, and in the San Diego Anthology of Poetry, and Verbatim Bookstore. Susan has also been selected for inclusion in A Year in Ink, Volume 17, 2024.