Rainy Night Santa Claus Parade

The rain lies heavy on the foggy street

And there are puddles where there should be snow

The chill drips, melancholy from the eaves

Unlike December days of long ago

When winter bullied through November’s gate

Ignoring numbers of its starting date

The late day weeps in cold and morbid flight

Hissing under the traffic rushing by

The fire in the hearth seems dull tonight

The smoke cowers beneath the sodden sky

Not like December’s of past centuries

Where footsteps crunched toward their destinies

The dusk is laden with December’s tears

It should be snow instead of dreary splashes

And Santa after many snowflake years

Sports an umbrella and goulashes

We huddle ‘neath store-awnings to stay dry

The slicker-clad parade goes waddling by

© Janet Martin

The Writer's Group will watch the parade first, in spite of the rain...