I cannot sleep.
The bellowing thunder awakens me
Only the brief pauses between its roars
     allow me to close my eyes.

I cannot sleep.
So I open a door and walk
The first sure decision I have made
     amidst this lonely torrent.

The air is thick
with cold blankets of rain
that seem to punish the dry soil
     as it begs for a drink.

The path is dark
for the sun has not risen
blessing the world with a new day
    and beckoning the lost with hope.

My unclean body
is soaked by the storm
cleansed of imperfections and dreams
     and promises that cannot come true.

The rain lessens
but I do not wish it to.
I stiffly continue forward,
     pleading the rain to punish me as well.

Leaves float in pools
like tadpoles locked in a nursery
waiting to grow legs and escape
     the safe prison they were born into.

Light flashes
bringing me back to my footsteps
as I solemnly slave through
     the chilling tribulation of the storm.

My mind is shallow
my thoughts uncertain and eyes cloudy
with these drops that run down
     my cheek to the ground.

I do not know where I am going
nor why
and I do not ask.
But if I continue in the dark
maybe I will find my way
Home.