rain

the rain. the
soft, soft rain.
falling down
from the
colorless sky.
falling down
onto every street,
onto everything.

and everything
everywhere,
grey and wet,
and filled with
soft sounds and
soft smells.

and darkness.
always present,
always waiting
for sundown.

and the rain. the
soft, soft rain.
still falling.
still.

Tohm Bakelas is a social worker in a psychiatric hospital. He was born in New Jersey, resides there, and will die there. His poems have been printed widely in journals, zines, and online publications all over the world. He is the author of twenty-five chapbooks and several collections of poetry, including Cleaning the Gutters of Hell (Zeitgeist Press, 2023). He is the editor of Between Shadows Press.