The Gathering Gloom

The daytime sky chose to scowl darkly
all day, like an out-of-sorts bully
accustomed to having his way,
belligerent and swaggering,
intimidating hesitant souls not given
to self-confidence or asserting themselves.
We were not unduly impressed.

There are times when the wisest course
is simply to get on with things, ignore
the bully's threats when it seems
feasible to do so. And so, we did,
embarking on a woodland trail, there
exchanging assurances with unperturbed
residents of the green and thirsty arras.

An ever-more densely cloudburst
burdened sky preened its incipient power,
yet there were garden chores irresistibly
beckoning. Tomatoes, lusciously tempting
to the discriminating palette and palate.
And garden borders and beds grown
arrogant in displacing their neighbours.

All urgently in need of discipline, a
firm hand wielding spade and secateurs.
Soon, the work satisfactorily concluded,
a thunderous roll echoed, and lightning
offered brief brilliance in the gathering
gloom. Gathering together startled
companion dog and gardening tools, we
made haste to depart the scene.

Brief but immensely satisfying; the
mission to restore a semblance of
polite order to the established structure
and glowing colour of the garden well
accomplished, we abandoned the garden
to a welcomed draught. By all means
let the voluminous showers descend!