Much Needed Rain

 
I saw him sitting under the cover of the carport
smoking
Just staring out toward the street
maybe
I thought
listening to the clattering of raindrops
rain is a big deal around here
we get so little these days

Heart attack
is what they said
must have hit about three p.m.
I did not see the ambulance
or his lifeless body sprawled on the concrete
or his sobbing wife
a quick moment in time
passing without notice
death is not a big deal around here
we get so much of it these days

Guilt
is what I feel
wish I had spent more time with him
but shit,
you just can’t go around talking to every
Joe, Rick, and Larry who might
tumble out of their lawn chairs
suddenly—
while listening to rain