When it rains, it pours

To the smiling little girl with blonde pigtails

all tied up in red ribbons, wearing

a bright yellow dress, cute little white socks,

patent-leather shoes to match her daddy’s

big black umbrella and a container of salt

under her arm – this morning, when skies

broke open and poured on the roofs,

in the yards and flowed out in the streets and

flooded the parks, it poured on the homeless

who live in the streets, the parks and

the yards of shelters that stay closed until dark

12-17-19