Waterlogged Shoes

I went running in the rain today.

The clouds spit on my sweaty arms

And the saliva trickled down my leaves.

Sodden branches scattered the steaming asphalt 

Like fences outside trenches or benches for the ants.

Soggy, swampy, slippery pine straw 

Was the ice rink

And a swaying oak was the thundering arena.

I lowered my cadence out of safety,

Because I was running in the rain.