An anger within a calm
thunder clouds against the sidewall
and when the rain came

a frenzy of hyenas
a lightning strike of jackals
the race of gazelles

we breathed the rain through our skin
gulped it down from our hair
sloshed in it until our feet were swimming

house wrens found shelter behind bricks
jaybirds scattered into thick leaves
rock pigeons danced against wind

you can only eat so much
let your arms fall like deadwood
along the flood gates

—

Michael H. Brownstein’s latest volumes of poetry, A Slipknot to Somewhere Else (2018) and How Do We Create Love? (2019), were recently released (Cholla Needles Press). He has a Sunday poetry column in Moristotle.