The cave opens it's great crumbling maw,
streaks of light fall on the sparse green blades,
which dot the floor,
mushrooms push forth from the ground,
like fingers reaching to air,
the gurgling of a stream,
dances along a riverbed path,
paradise enclosed,
by earthen walls and canopy,
the glen lit by diffused and dappled sun.

Rain is coming
In this dry and barren land.

You may expect it to come in a cool mist
Or tiny raindrops that pitter-patter on your red roof,
But if you look up to the far horizon you'll see
Giant pillars of clouds in the sky
Casting heavy dark shadows.
From it you'll know that

Rain is coming
And it is coming in a heavy downpour .

The howling winds will whip us.
The rain will soak our skin
And the cold will seep into our bones.
Deafening thunders will pierce
Not only our ears but also our hearts.
Structures will be struck by lightning
And erupt in flames.
Mountains will crumble.
Valleys will flood.
And we will have no choice
But to hold on to each other
Or perish.

But when the sky calms down and the storm subsides,
The light of day will reveal
A city cluttered with chaos,
Beyond rearranged:
Reinvented.
But now
Dry streams are once again
Flowing with coolness and clarity.
The floods had revived the parched soil,
The sleeping seeds we have planted, now awakened.

Finally
There will be growth,
There will be progress,
There will be abundance, overflowing.
We will be blessed
And called to be a blessing to others.

Finally
Our toils and tears will have justice.
Our faults and failures will have mercy.
But in our depth and in our death,
Grace:
Unconditional,
Richly lavished.

Countrymen
Bear the dry dust a little longer,
Just keep fighting the faith
And holding on to hope.
And when it comes,
Welcome the sky with open arms
But at the same time
Brace yourselves for

**Rain
Is
Coming.

Darkness brings thoughts of you
Over my concrete walls like fog
Cloud this mind
Move oh so slowly

Filling each valley with an unclear desire
Not a moment left untamed
Gently roaming and expanding
A thousand midnights yet, not one the same

So afraid of morning
Clean and new
But left behind, a beautiful sight
This subtle glimpse of you

Which lay upon each blade
To soak back through
To the core of my mind
So still and so confused