Nile rain
A poem.
Boaters and felucca operators cross the Nile River in Assiut, Egypt.
Ann Hermes
Droplets hopped inside their perfect circles on the waves.
聽Then it all thrashed down in sheets
聽and drummed up a mist above the river:
a real rain for the second time in a week, and rare.
聽The sodden fog thickened and formed a bridge
聽to the island where not all of the foreigners live.
At the officers鈥� club on the opposite shore
聽a team of ten drenched rowers
聽skipped up the slippery slats of the ramp
聽to the boathouse.
聽Fumbling along with the long boat and oars,
the red-faced coaches cursed under their shawls.
聽Even while the wind was hurling its arrows,
聽my personal heroes聽
聽the fishermen聽
swept out in the brightly painted, tipping wooden boats聽
to stand barefoot on the stern and let the nets tumble in.