Morning After

There's something in the feeling after rain
Of half-remembered smells and subtle buzzing,
Of darkness in the soil of the plain
And sunlight seen through gentle barrel-fuzzing,
Of sounds heard from a distance yet nearby,
Earth in the air mixing with lingering drops,
A sense of sudden depth beneath the sky,
And yet-unplanted seeds that will bear crops,
Of heart's elation in the midst of flood,
And celebration at the rainbow's sight,
Of hippos wallowing in glorious mud
And midday turned into early half-night
That calls to me and says: "On such a day
There are no bills, no deficits to pay."