Drinking the Rain

I had to get out of the city  
A city suffering from old age  
In search of a youthful feeling  
I found myself at Black Creek Park  
walking the path that followed the creek  
that meandered before circling back around  
and while crossing the bridge
I stopped to lean on the rail  
head in hands  
comtemplating, mourning, regretting  
Then suddenly from below  
a flash, fish tillting sideways  
in their silver sequenced suits  
Flashing like the vacancy sign  
outside our motel  
in New England last fall  
Showing themselves  
in a glimmer  
like a dancer teases  
with a flash  
showing their skin  
to get attention  
The fish  
letting me know  
we are here  
in the water  
below the surface  
drinking rain  
we live this liquid life  
All of our memories  
are in water
We swim and float  
hover in place  
dart from here to there  
We breathe the water  
hide under ledges and among rocks  
away from the kingfisher  
that brings death from above  
We go where you cannot go  
We do what you cannot do  
We are who you long to be  
As gray clouds gather  
above me  
the way they always seem  
to find me  
I hear thunder far away  
Still standing on the bridge  
as it begins to rain  
The fish below  
in their element  
looking up at me  
with smiles on their faces  
I lean my head back  
open my mouth  
drinking, drinking, drinking the rain