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Rain falls and collects on a concrete curb
Photo by frame harirak on Unsplash

When you’re out and about, and a beautiful day takes a turn,
shifting the blue sky to gray, take a moment.

When you’re first struck by a tiny droplet from the heavens
above, and you feel a powerful urge to find cover in a hurry,
take a moment.

When the pace of the rainfall quickens, keeping time
with the beating of your heart, and your instincts call for you
to move along, take a moment.

When everyone else has gone, seeking shelter from the storm,
and you are soaked to the bone with a chill running through you,
take a moment.

When the water runs down your face, and drips off the tip of your
nose, and your breath is a visible plume with every exhalation,
take a moment.

When you know that you’re alive, and are filled with immense
gratitude for that fact, recognize the beauty in the experience
of having truly taken a moment.

Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer’s identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.

Andrew McClay is a poet incarcerated in Colorado.