Afternoon rain weighs down 

The heavy heads of sunflowers

And surprises walkers

In the park—clothes cling

Like wet children

And I think of the autumn day

I last saw your face

Thirty-five years ago on campus

Slender in your green dress

Hands like two quivering birds

On the curve of my spine

That morning we kissed.

Later when you drove away

In your dad’s car

Afternoon rain raked down

The last maple leaves in clusters—

I walked back to my room

Through shallow red streams.

 — Dennis Trujillo