`Brellas

               "`Brellas . . . pick the one you like,
               like the one you pick . . ."
               sang the man at the stand, enjoying
               the rain.
               Same seems to be true for
               life, I thought
               as the motionless
               line of colored bubbles
               rose on the escalator like so many
               apparitions
               from the underground
               metro.

               I embraced the rain
               I guess when enough real tears
               are shed
               one no longer feels like every rain drop
               reveals one's soul.
               And even if tears don't wash sorrow away,
               through them the soul is cleansed
               and I can feel sunshine from other sources
               on days like today.
               At least
               sorrow's not lurking
               set to lunge forth
               from every puddle.

               I've picked this life because I like it
               I like the color, the shape of it opening
               out in a rainstorm

                             - Maria Kaefer, MSII