Fading Magnificence

A Common Man went out to watch

The fervid thundering rain

Splattering the earth like ink.

He stayed there late.

At the end of the storm, he put on his hat,

Buttoned his jacket, and left.

Precisely at the time he left

There was someone new to watch

This someone wore no hat

She rode a horse and, at the breathtaking view, dropped the rein

If she did not leave soon, for evening meal would she be late

But she took notes of nature’s image in ink.

A child then went to this spot with ink

And drew pictures with his dominant hand, his left

Had he arrived there any more late

He wouldn’t have been there to watch

The sun begin it’s reign

And the boy removed and forgot his hat.

One morning on a stroll, the Common Man found the boy’s hat,

Went to an artist and asked for ink

To permanently tell of the hat and the rain

Some things of beauty that behind had been left

And the man was there again, only to watch

Again, he remained late

And the animals of the night appeared late

A fox poked its head through the bushes and seemed to wear a hat

Of leaves as it keeps watch

It stalks prey and pounces, blood spills like ink

Coloring the snow. It ate its prey, then left.

Later it was washed away, by thundering rain

The story of the rain

Hasn’t ended, though the man now is late

Behind he left

The story of the rain and of the hat;

He and the woman and the child all documented in ink

But there was no one left to watch

There was no one left to wear the hat

Of observance. It became too late

And there was no one left to watch.