measuring myself against the rainfall

if i were a ruler
i would be able to tell you how much, how long
compared to last month
or New Orleans

rulers have done more to damage the world
by comparing themselves to something more-
or less.
nothing spells insecurity like not measuring up to
tomorrow’s prediction
or yesterday’s record

throw open the doors!
it’s raining.
i want to know the violent pulse from the sky

but how far? how wide?
enough for beauty
but not for irreparable damage.
if you want the door closed, do it
yourself

and what about the leaks?
water dripping onto antique such-and-such
now it’s the whole roof!
and someone else has to fix the problem

measurements will have to be taken

if you measure in
inches,
i will measure in
pyrex or longitude or nanoseconds or eighth notes or
syllables

something incomparable
to lessen
the rain

August 2007