I saw America in a rushing river of rain.
It scurried its way down the hill
to Main Street and made its way to the sea
by way of the ramen shop,
taking multitudes of noodles with it. A conspiracy
of clouds gathering and moving in unison.

What is it with atmospheric currents,
ocean currents, current affairs? Black currant
seed oil foils their plan and fortifies me against the storm.
Waves were breaking with news of the latest
catastrophe. Street lights flicker off ripples in their frenzied
race to open water like broken images of shattered
consequence of society under a system
akin to coffee grounds and rotting cherry tomatoes
hatching fruit flies when the garbage hasn’t been taken out.
And I am here, cogent, cognizant and every other 3 dollar word.

A young Lebanese/Canadian writer told me I need to find my home
within myself, not in others. I think she’s right.
You see, water is not procrastinatory. It does what it’s gotta do
the first chance it gets and it’ll go around every stranded car,
street cat and religious idol claiming to walk upon it
to get to where it’s gotta go.
It was Alan Watts who said, “Never deny the wind.”
So, I’ll mention the wind. It carried a massage
on it’s insatiable thrusts of passionate determination.
It whispered under it’s breath as it blew by, “This is the day love cries
with the Earth.”

After the rains, I looked down into the puddles
to see the silent song of reflection. It’s melody taught me the
heart does not have good ears. It functions from the depths
of the deepest ocean trenches. And, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Russ Green has been co-editor at Great Weather for Media, put on poetry and arts events around Long Island and NYC, and has raised funds through some of these events for humanitarian and social justice organizations. He has hosted and curated poetry stages at various festivals and has read his work nationally. His book, Gimme Back My Radio, was published by Night Ballet Press. Currently, he runs a monthly poetry and music series at Curry Club in Port Jefferson called Saturdays On The Sound.