Autumn afternoon
It's too quiet
The air's too still
The birds are silent
But the ant hill
Is frantic movement
Sets of six legs scurrying
Hither and thither
They know something
I sniff the air
It smells of pollen
And fresh cut grass
There's no insects
Humming as they fly
Or scent of rain
But the farmer fertilises
She knows something
I make some tea
And when I sit again
The sky has changed it's outfit
From blue, to striking grey
Storm clouds billowing
As tall as skyscrapers
Thunder growls
And fat drops of rain
Begin to fall
It's empty on the ant hill
The farmer - disappeared
The tractor's roar silenced
And now I smell the rain
That fresh, metallic smell
And hear it's awesome crescendo
As it pelts down
And washes everything
Drops turn to rivulets
And tiny pools to puddles
And still the torrent falls
Until it's gushing
Gushing - in the gullies
Gushing from the gutters
And splashing on the windows
And the whole world turned opaque
Thunder roars and groans
Lighting stings and strikes
Cloud sweep across the skies
Those violent, angry skies
And I curl up on my lounge
To watch the fury unfold
To marvel at my smallness
In the face of such turbulence