Winter Rain is: A poem

Winter rain is

Gentle, lyrical

Settling in

Creosote-scented like summer

More mint-flavored as I sip herbal tea inside

Winter rain is

Welcomed

Walked in, played in without worry of lightning

A relief from drought of water and of writing

Shrouding the mountains

Often overlooked

Winter rain is

Counted on, necessary

Second-most sustainer of Sonoran Desert life

Reviving the frozen-back bird of paradise

Emboldening the penstemons

Kickstarting the weeds and wildflowers

Grey skies through bare mesquite branches and blooming rosemary

Soaking into the ground

Topping off my love of the desert in all its seasons