November Day

"It's raining. It's pouring.."
As I walk through the parking lot
the old children's rhyme echoes through my mind.
There's no majesty in this storm,
No rumble of thunder, No howling winds,
just a blustery, November day.
It is filled with a quiet beauty.
All the hard edges are gone from the world,
muted by the falling grey.
Mountain tops stand cloud wreathed.
Frosted with a FairyTale glamour,
they silently invite my imagination to begin an epic dream.
Oily rainbows shimmer dully
in the puddles that leap and dance with my every step.
Cold water slish-squishes
in an uncomfortable conversation with my socks.
The Rain and Wind brush bitingly along my cheeks and lips
like the false, airy kisses of a long lost friend
who's come to stay..for just a month...or maybe two.
I know they'll soon wear out their welcome,
but for now I am content with their company.
I find myself smiling as my hair is tousled
by the playful Wind, and gentle Rain.

Winner takes all..

They stand, mere feet apart in the middle of the gym. Their teacher stands as referee. He is posed one hand raised.
In the moment before it falls, their bodies tense.For her it is a subtle shift, a slight rising to balance on the balls of her feet.
For him it is a shift of weight to his left foot, leaving his right free. They are ready. With a sharp noise the teacher drops his hand and steps back.
They circle for a space of breath, then he lunges. His fist snakes out,her arm raises to block. She sweeps down, leg extended to bring his feet from beneath him. He leaps, uniform snaping with the motion.
She straightens and steps back.They circle again. He puches at her should, she steps into it grabbing his arm and with a pivot, slings him over her head. He lands on his shoulder and rolls to his feet. The teacher awards her the point. She grins, teeth bared. Again they circle, hair plastered to skinby dripping sweat. They take a moment to assess each other. With a sudden movement she kicks at his chest. Agile hands catch her at the knee and he forces her down. For a second she is pinned. The teacher awards a point to him. With a spine cracking twist she launches her free leg across his neck.
He flips over with the motion. She is free. For a final time they circle. Her chest heaves from the exertion. She licks her lips to ease the dryness from labored breaths. His hands shake slightly, muscles singing from the strain. He dashes sweat away from his face with the sleeve of his uniform. In uncanny unison they break the circle. The class watches, cheering as fists and elbows fly. Briefly he falters. She slides inside his guard. With all her strength and remaining momentum, she braces her hands beneath his arm. She leans her shoulder into his chest and smoothly flips him. Before he can regain his feet she pins him down. With a laugh her teacher awards her final point and match. She bounces up, fists raised and pumping. Gingerly he picks himself up off the ground. He smiles good naturedly as they perform a final bow. Their classmates shower them both with friendly slaps, either congratulating or commiserating.
Their teacher announces an end to the night. As the others begin to file out he reaches for her hand. With a startled laugh, she finds herself pinned to the wall. He grins down at her and steals a kiss. On a whisper he tells her, " Well, and now I guess we've both won tonight."

cliff diver

He slams the door. The little red honda
shudders at the impact. His shoulders are taut
muscles straining against his skin.
In the searing sunlight, the planes of his
face are stark. His lips are pressed
thin into an severe line.He slings open the door
of the office and tosses his bag inside.
He pauses and for a moment,leans wearily against the door frame.
Thoughts race through his head.
"Everything's gone wrong today. Check didn't come, bills are late.
washing machine is broke again and girlfriend is yelling at him to fix it.
Wants him to quit his job and find something 9-5
or she's gonna walk out. Car almost didn't start, gotta
look at that tomorrow. Hope it's nothing serious, otherwise
he's gonna have to walk. Brother's sick again, hope it isn't serious."
For a moment his chest feels too tight to breath. He presses his hands against his
eyes,and wonders if it's possible for a person to shatter under the strain
of life.
The chime of a clock startles him. Almost late. He rushes to change
into his uniform of brightly colored
bathing suit. Cursing he makes a dash for the tree line in the distance.
As he approaches the cliffside, his heart begins to pound.
His skin shines, guilded in the sunlight. When he breaks through the
tree line, the tourists ooh and ahh at the sight of him.
6 feet of brawn in a tiny swim suit. He wears a blinding smile. It doesn't reach his eyes,
but the crowd can't see. The announcers begin their speeches. An oddly mixed litany
of english and spanish. He hears it all, but registers none of it.

He stands at the edge of the cliff. The oceans rushes up, clawing at the rocks to reach him.
He laughs and shakes his head. Now his smile is genuine.He tenses, ever muscle sliding perfectly
into position. His body knows this. Knows what is coming, knows how it will feel to make the leap.
The introduction is winding up. He steps to the very edge. Blue waters sweep out, sparkling and dancing to the edge of sight.
Sudden silence is his signal. His mind is clear, empty as he bunches muscles for the leap. Arms extended, his is flying for a moment.
And everything is right.