I ♥ Rain

The Gale
Sybil Andrews

Students are hurrying across the foot-bridge
huddled under their umbrellas;
not the drab tones of commuter uniform
but a joyous line of paintbox colours:
red, orange, lime, purple and pink.
The security guy is still waving and smiling,
high visibility yellow under his umbrella.
I am distracted by two tiny Japanese girls
sheltering under turquoise polka dots,
and then luxuriant images of red roses
crossing the road by the Students Union
and a jade Florentine marbled design
keeping an African headdress dry.
It is an army of exotic sea anemones,
marching against the streaming rain
and my silly frilly pink umbrella
with black and white stripes
and a pink handle is part of it.