by Johanna Caton

Pouring rain. 
Silver sheets
impossible to open
or pass through.
Prodigal pouring.
Pooling everywhere.  
Waterfalls.  

exuberance – sheer
sloppiness of pouring
rain – no choice 
but to abandon all plans – 
ball up that list of errands – 
go out and get sopping – 
clothes – skin – hair –  
feet – everything –   
squelch – 

Then, later, 
much later,
I remember:

The love of God 
has been 
poured
into our hearts
by the Holy Spirit.

Johanna Caton, O.S.B., is a Benedictine nun of Minster Abbey in England. Originally from Virginia, she lived in the U.S. until adulthood, when her monastic vocation took her to Britain. Her poems have appeared in both online and print publications, including The Christian Century, The Windhover, A Time of Singing, Amethyst Review, The Ekphrastic Review and the Catholic Poetry Room webpage at integratedcatholiclife.org. Some of her poems can be found at www.integratedcatholiclife.org/?s=johanna+caton