In My Element
By Brandon Palzkill
Through the waking darkness, I march,
with determination in my heart
and purpose in my footfalls.
The new day’s sun doesn’t know me, yet,
and I’m grateful for it;
the morning nighttime sky
offers stillness
and comfortable silence,
that the daytime clatter
will never know.
With every step, I am baptized
by cascading showers.
The rain’s milky haze catches the
ambient glow of the steadfast streetlamps
radiating ghostly coronas
that serve as beacons on my journey.
Millions of tiny falling drops
dance about the cooling concrete,
around me,
pooling; streaming;
amassing into many miniscule rivers
racing to the bottom of the hill.
I am soddened by the downpour.
Moisture sloshes around in my shoes
with every treaded puddle,
as the soothing liquid
saturates my protective shell
seeps down to touch my flesh. I let it wash over me
and everything becomes clear;
I feel all my troubles
leaking out of me with
the runoff,
and leaking down the storm drains;
I am content.
