Emilia Seay Allen

the untroubled patter of the rain on the leaves

the hollow roar of the S-Bahn, like some distant monster
turning over in its cave

the little clicks and clacks of the neighbor’s day, item against item
practical and indistinct

the harried rumbleshriek of the tram
officious and important

the pigeons’ wings beating warm and earthy against their bodies

the authoritative siren
      blasting the air
quickly stifled

the sporadic chide of a rook

the pure vowels and clean consonants of foreign tongues

the small dry cough of the next door neighbor,
source of the cigarette breezes

the church bells, riotously atonal,
a command to attend, attend, attend, attend, attend

attend

    attend

a

ttend

aa

         ttend

                            aa

                                   tend

                          aa tend aaa
                              tennd

                      aa            tend

                            a
                             tennd
                          tennd
                          tend

                                 a

                                    a

                                       a

aa

aaa

aaaa
     tend aaaa

    aaaa

nd
nd

nd

the taps of raindrops on leaf
on concrete
on pigeons and trams
on neighbors and spoons
on bikes
on bells

the rain