dense green leaves wet with rain
M. Shayne Bell·
Poetry

I Am Glad of Clouds and Lightning

I am glad of clouds and lightning;
I am glad of rain. I have opened windows
to that scent of sky the rain brings,
to its drip from eaves and leaves.

I have seen grasses lift to live again
because of rain, and tulips open petals
to the rain, and one yellow apple glitter
with raindrops in newfound sun.

I have seen a spider’s web jeweled with frost—
but of she that wove it,
no sign.
I left it for her, but winds tattered it away.



Of interest...
M. Shayne Bell
M. Shayne Bell received a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. His poem, “One Hundred Years of Russian Revolution," was a finalist for the Rhysling Award. His poetry has been published in Modern Haiku, The Heron's Nest, Tinywords, The Mainichi (Japan), The Fibonacci Review, The Ghazal Page, Shot Glass Journal, Dialogue, Sunstone, Amazing Stories, Asimov’s, and more. Bell also publishes science fiction. His story “Mrs. Lincoln’s China” was a finalist for the Hugo award. “The Pagodas of Ciboure” was a finalist for the Nebula award. He received a first place Writers of the Future award for his story “Jacob’s Ladder." Bell holds a Master’s Degree in English Literature from Brigham Young University, with an emphasis on the English Romantic poet William Wordsworth. Bell has backpacked through Haleakala Volcano on Maui, from the summit to the sea, retracing an expedition Jack London went on at the turn of the last century. He was also part of an expedition to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Bell and his six cats live in Rexburg, Idaho.