Rain

Today is a day for
soup and 
put-your-hood-up-when-you-go-outside,
for English accents and cups of tea. 
It's a day for
wet roads 
and grey skies.

The little girl who lives next door 
hides under a pile of squash 
in her front yard. 
She's wearing a red rain jacket
and crying.
her dirty blonde hair drips in rags
beside her face,
cheeks red from the cold.
Next to her is a muddy teddy bear
with buttons for eyes 
and a matted brown coat.

The first memory she has of her father
is picking mulberries by a creek.
He gave her the muddy teddy bear.
Rain reminds her of him,
so she stays outside while the thunder booms
and cries because she loves

(loved)
him.