Cats and dogs and cow corn

It seems like the whole world is experiencing a heat wave
and the weather girl
is talking about extreme weather events
and how this time last year we had flooding
instead of drought

but yesterday
and the day before
and
to some extent
today
it came bucketing gown
and rained Cruikshank cats and dogs

and we caught up on the precipitation
we were supposed to get

perhaps it's in time to make the strawberries grow

the raspberries don't need the molly coddling or much moisture or the straw

perhaps the rain was in time to save the farmers from irrigating
to make the corn grow tall
and stop it from withering on the vine
and being left for harvesting like Winter wheat

or cow corn

to be sure
the recent rain
was much needed
but even if we had already had enough
it would have been glorious still
even if it wasn't enough
to quench the lawns

and fill the streams

and freshen the air

that had been heavy with humidity for far too long

is it a bit philosophical
to suggest
that there is always relief from the heat
if only we find the patience to wait?

when it was so hot
the birds made strange
and stopped singing
probably saying it was
too hot to mate
as they kept their peace
and conserved their energy
and whatever they managed to take in
in terms of
water and worms
waiting for the chance to break their fast
and break radio silence with a hopeful chirp
signalling their return
from an enforced nap
like day care kids
waiting out lights out and quiet time

in this way the birds were like the bears
who hibernate in Winter
gorging on salmon and blueberries
tasting pemmican
even though they didn't take the time
to sweeten and dry and put by
hungry for the river
to whet their appetite
for life
once again
before returning to sullen slumbers
and dreamless sleep

meanwhile we
continue to endure the heat
that has now returned
and like berries ever so cleverly bursting
macerating that way in a trifle

we eat our fill
and await
the next rain
and the next rainbow, perhaps even a double

and the next chance
to hold
a sincere thought of gratitude
together in our mind
with the stifling heat
that soaks no water
and relieves us enough to sleep.