Work Until Rain
It rained as soft as loving hands at ease
as afterwards, as sapphire wings that glide
the light-filled air in summer’s sweet release
that offers stricken hearts a gentle guide.
I’d worked until the sky turned dirty gray,
the forecast was correct, then air turned spice,
perfume of heat, macadam, rain—the day
a brew I deeply sniffed, a sudden prize
as unexpected, calming, as loved eyes.
I put my tools away, vac’d saw dust from
the floor, then sat in the garage, surprised
in part the way what is at bottom stuns,
and watched, breathed in the honeyed scent of rain,
and tired and satisfied, I was sustained.
by Ed Hack
Editor’s Note: This sonnet’s unexpected pivot from stately philosophy to concrete images mirrors the emotion the speaker feels when one suddenly swims up from work to find the world perfectly beautiful.
2 thoughts on “Work Until Rain by Ed Hack”
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Autumn Sky Poetry Daily 
A dryly funny poem.Very poignant. It makes me want to root for the poet – I know how he feels but I hope he has happy days now ! I am not as old but no longer young. I send best wishes his way – a beautiful poem that resonated strongly. Be kind to yourself for any mistakes !
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In response to Ed Hack’s “Work Until Rain”: There’s nothing like sticking with satisfying work and then to come up from it to this… I particularly like and am intrigued by these lines of his poem:
“air turned spice, / perfume of heat, macadam, rain—the day / a brew I deeply sniffed,” and
“surprised / in part the way what is at bottom stuns, / and watched, breathed in the honeyed scent of rain, /and tired and satisfied, I was sustained.”
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