City Rain

Hard raindrops splattered on my face.

Squelch, squelch went my soggy shoes.

What horrendously bad luck.

I keep walking, my head down,

letting myself melt into the shadowy colors

of the city's metal and concrete.

Ugh. I walked faster, not bothering to avoid

the puddles on the uneven sidewalk now.

The only escape on my left was a shady alleyway

cluttered with refuse and infested

with nasty little bugs and rodents.

On my right, the street where cars

were barrelling past much faster

than was safe in this weather.

I was too self-conscious to break into a run.

Some other unfortunate soul slunk out of a doorway,

head hung, no hope of staying clean or dry.

Dirt and trash mixed with the deluge,

and soon the thick brown sludge was sloshing everywhere.

What a nasty day to be outside,

nature disregarded and desecrated

in the name of steel and glass.