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August Rain: Stormy Weather

By Seth Haines 32 Comments

There is a long-standing metaphorical marriage of rain and sorrow. Painters, film-makers, musical artists — they have all used tempestuous imagery to denote loss, grief, and sadness.

In 1933 Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler penned “Stormy Weather, ” the quintessential breakup song first performed by Ethel Waters. Covered by greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Willie Nelson, the song for the dumped laments, “[w]hen he went away the blues walked in and met me… all I do is pray that the Lord above will let me walk in the sun once more.”

In that great tradition, various musical artists have coaxed rain from the clouds, recounting loss in a lyrical squall. In her song “Rain, ” Patty Griffin sings of an ending relationship, likens it to a death. “It’s hard to know when to give up the fight, ” she croons. Then, in her hauntingly beautiful chorus she sings:

strange how it rains now,
rows and rows of big dark clouds.
But I’m still alive underneath this shroud.
Rain.

In 1991, Garth Brooks wrote “The Thunder Rolls, ” in which he weaves a dark tale of a woman who catches her truck-driving husband in an over-the-road affair. Brooks likens the jealousy of a woman to a raging gale, singing:

a strange new perfume blows
and the lightning flashes in her eyes
and he knows that she knows
and the thunder rolls.

Any self-respecting Garth Brooks fan knows the song ends badly for the carousing truck driver. Evidently, women in the South keep loaded pistols handy.

One would be hard pressed to find a song which positively associates rain and love. After all, every wedding planner knows that “rain on your wedding day” is a bad omen, or at least a little too ironic. Don’t you think?

To the artist, rain is the heavens’ way of sharing our pain. It’s nature’s commiseration. It’s the tangible manifestation of the emotional reality.

In an effort to delve deeper into the imagery, we’ve compiled a musical playlist for this month’s Tweetspeak Rain theme. It includes an eclectic mix of great rain songs, and we hope that you might use this list as a sort of prompt.

Press play, grab your journal, and see what happens. Then come back here and share your musings.

Who knows, maybe you’ll write the next “Stormy Weather.”

*****

Last week, Chris Yokel took our Tweetspeak book spine prompt to another level. Instead of limiting himself to book spines, Chris created a CD spine poem from his musical collection. Intriguing, no? In “Night of Hunters, ” he writes:

Midnight on the water—
love and thunder whispers
in the wind.
Ten summoner’s tales call
an ancient muse
from the far country.

Make sure you jump to Chris’ place to read the rest of his amazing CD spine poem.

Would you consider following Chris’ lead and weaving your own CD spine poem this month? “Seth, CDs are so 2002, ” you might say. Well, scroll through your iTunes album list and create your own album/song poem. Let’s mix-tape it up this month and see what happens!

Tweetspeak’s August Rain Project.

This month’s found poem theme at Tweetspeak is Rain,  and we’re using book spines (or CD spines) as the prompt. We’d love you to join with is. How do you participate?

1.  This month, we will take our cues from book spines (see Glynn’s piece for more information). Look through your personal collection, the aisles at your local bookstore, or your neighbor’s bookcase and grab a few titles.

2.  Arrange a poem completely from words on book spines, or use pieces of the titles to create your own found poem. Make sure your poems touch on themes of rain OR water.

3. Tweet your poems (and pictures of the book spines) to us. Add a #tsrain hashtag so we can find it and maybe share it with the world.

4. If you aren’t a twitter user, leave your found poem here in the comment box (we’ll use our mind’s eye to imagine your book spines).

5.  Each week we’ll share a few of the poems. At the end of the month, we’ll choose a winning poem and ask the winner to record his or her poem to be featured in one of our upcoming Weekly Top 10 Poetic Picks.

Thanks to everyone who submitted their own piece of book spine poetry last week. Now, go create a new work and come back here to rain it on us!

Photo (top) by AngryJulieMonday, Creative Commons via Flickr. Post by Seth Haines. 

______________________

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Seth Haines
Seth Haines
Seth Haines is a writer and photographer who loves the Ozarks, his wife and four boys, and a good collection of poems. He's the author of two books, both of which touch on addiction, sobriety, and spiritual formation.
Seth Haines
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Filed Under: Blog, Themed Writing Projects, writing prompts

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About Seth Haines

Seth Haines is a writer and photographer who loves the Ozarks, his wife and four boys, and a good collection of poems. He's the author of two books, both of which touch on addiction, sobriety, and spiritual formation.

Comments

  1. Monica Sharman says

    August 20, 2012 at 8:27 am

    We did “Stormy Weather” in my high school show choir. Lots of scoops. 🙂

    “Life is ba-a-are, gloom and mi-i-isery e-everywhere
    Stormy we-eather
    Just can’t get my poor self together,
    I’m weary a-a-a-ll the time…”

    It’s actually pretty fun to sing, despite the poor, miserable lyrics. 🙂

    Reply
    • Seth says

      August 20, 2012 at 9:24 am

      Have you ever heard Etta James’ version of this one? Man… it’s good. And if you back it up with her rendition of “Out of The Rain” it’s a great two song set.

      Reply
  2. L. L. Barkat says

    August 20, 2012 at 8:58 am

    Lol, I think my CD’s might be so 80’s 🙂

    That’s why I’m thrilled to have you here, Seth, giving me music.

    Loved the lowdown on Rain’s place in musical history. I have to say I found your playlist pretty wonderful though. You’ve managed to find a little fun in the rain.

    Reply
    • Seth says

      August 20, 2012 at 9:26 am

      I actually added “Stormy Weather” and “The Thunder Rolls” to my personal Rain playlist. I thought they might be a tad-wee-bit too depressing?

      It’s been fun hanging out with you guys here and swapping songs. And yes… I threw a touch of the 80s (and 70s) for those with elderly cd spines. 🙂

      Reply
      • Grace Marcella Brodhurst-Davis says

        August 20, 2012 at 1:23 pm

        Elderly CD spines, Seth? LOL! Loved your playlist, especially Annie Lennox’s rendition of “Here Comes the Rain Again”. I guess that dates me, huh? -he-he:D

        Reply
        • Seth says

          August 20, 2012 at 2:11 pm

          I can’t lie… Annie Lennox is one of my favorites.

          Reply
    • Chris Yokel says

      August 20, 2012 at 10:19 am

      Hey, I had at least one 80s album title in there Laura. No excuses 😉

      Reply
  3. Maureen Doallas says

    August 20, 2012 at 9:12 am

    Wonderful post, Seth, and a deserved spotlight on Chris. Always fun to see where poets take the prompt(s).

    Reply
    • Seth says

      August 20, 2012 at 9:27 am

      I like how Chris broke the mold. I’ve always liked rebels!

      And speaking of “where poets take the prompt(s),” I’ll be excited where this week takes you!

      Reply
  4. Chris Yokel says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:14 am

    I like a place where creativity outside the lines is rewarded 🙂 Thanks for sharing my poem Seth!

    Reply
    • Seth says

      August 20, 2012 at 2:12 pm

      Chris,

      Thanks for taking the idea and running with it. Lines were made to be blurred, right?

      Reply
  5. Alizabeth Rasmussen says

    August 20, 2012 at 10:16 am

    I’m loving the poems AND the music coming from this month’s prompt! Then again, I’m a Seattleite for a reason…rain feels “right” to me. I may complain about it from time to time, but there’s no doubt I miss it when we get our (often very brief) summer. I’m ready for fall, and this is the perfect segue…so thank you!

    Reply
    • Seth says

      August 20, 2012 at 2:20 pm

      If I knew there was a Seattlelite in the house, I would have thrown in some Nirvana or Pearl Jam. Maybe next month I’ll figure out a way…

      Reply
      • Alizabeth Rasmussen says

        August 20, 2012 at 9:07 pm

        I’ll be looking forward to that! 🙂

        Reply
  6. Maureen Doallas says

    August 20, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    I went the hybrid route, combining album and book titles.

    Purple rain
    feels like rain
    on the pulse of morning.

    (Martin Sexton, Buddy Guy, Maya Angelou)

    In the presence of the sun
    no rain
    circles on the water
    praying our goodbyes

    (N. Scott Momaday, Blind Melon, Marge Piercy, Joyce Rupp)

    Start where you are, Blue Eyes.
    We are three
    crying in the rain
    for the good of the earth and sun.

    (Pema Chodron/Willie Nelson, Rumi, Everly Brothers, Georgia Heard)

    Here comes the rain again,
    tap dancing for Big Mom.
    River, flow
    as far as the heart can see!

    (Eurythmics, Roseann Lloyd, David Whyte, Mark Nepo)

    Speaking of faith,
    who’ll stop the rain?
    Einstein’s God: Rain King
    teaching a stone to talk.

    (Krista Tippett, Creedence Clearwater, Krista Tippett/Counting Crows, Annie Dillard)

    When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple,
    fire and rain.
    When jewels sing
    the artist’s way,
    the lives of the heart
    rain one thousand gifts.

    (Sandra Martz, Birdy, Julia Cameron, Jane Hirshfield, Blind Melon/Ann Voskamp)

    Reply
    • Seth says

      August 20, 2012 at 2:23 pm

      Good works, Maureen. I especially like the first one.

      These exercises (and reading everyone’s work) help shake me up creatively. I hope you’re finding the same thing true in your own work.

      Reply
    • Chris Yokel says

      August 20, 2012 at 4:38 pm

      We’re like poet-scientists, creating new crossbreeds of creations all the time.

      Reply
  7. Grace Marcella Brodhurst-Davis says

    August 20, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    Enjoyed your post, Seth. Loved your poem, Chris! Congrats!

    Reply
    • Seth says

      August 20, 2012 at 2:24 pm

      Thanks, Grace. Hope you’ll play along with this musical mosaic of sorts. (Do you like how I just pulled in July’s theme?)

      Reply
  8. Donna says

    August 21, 2012 at 7:13 am

    Seth, what a great piece! My INTENTION was to grab a stack of titles and build something from your wonderful list, but that’s not what came out. Your mention of rain being bad luck on wedding days brought me back to my own wedding day – quite wet to be sure! I wanted to tell that story and managed to find place to borrow from Willie Nelson…

    the parching drought
    shattered by quenching drops
    pounding down on my brother’s hat
    as he prepares the huge grill for the all day roasting
    a little rain cannot stop this feast

    wedding tent pelted
    by a marriage’s first challenge
    centerpieces set aside, tables removed
    chairs moved there, row by row, from the once sunny yard
    holes dug there to plant the arbor built for these vows
    because the once sunny yard is now puddling fast
    a little rain cannot stop this gathering

    all the plans
    all the guests
    all the lists and preparation
    the deluge was not a part of any of these
    yet it came…. Fiercely it came
    and so do the guests, streaming out of their cars
    gifts shielding hairstyles
    or umbrellas gripped tightly
    summer shoes splashing in the driveway
    filing into the only dry place
    (as long as the tent holds up)
    a little rain cannot stop these friends

    and now the bride
    resigned to the fact that her veil will be soaked
    steps out of the house on her parents’
    to the glorious sight of
    umbrellas held high overhead by dripping, smiling cherished ones,
    guiding the way through the shower
    past the giant pine tree she used to jump over as a child
    all the way to the wedding tent
    arbor now inside, her handsome groom waits there
    and the bride’s blue eyes crying in the rain
    streams tears of knowing
    that a little rain cannot stop this love

    Reply
    • Donna says

      August 21, 2012 at 7:18 am

      (a cut and paste glitch…. no… she did not step on her parents although she was on their ARMS together, one on either side… “steps out of the house on her parents’arms”)

      Reply
      • Donna says

        August 22, 2012 at 6:58 am

        And so, now sticking more to the prompt:

        if the rain must fall
        i’ll be singin’ in the rain
        i’ll be dancin’ to the
        rhythm of the rain
        my friend

        let the four winds blow
        i’ll fly like and eagle
        with the riders on the storm
        not the
        dust in the wind

        Reply
        • Seth Haines says

          August 26, 2012 at 3:57 pm

          Thanks for these pieces, Donna. I’ll feature one of them in tomorrow’s piece so make sure you check it out!

          Reply
          • Donna says

            August 26, 2012 at 6:52 pm

            Seth, THANK YOU!!! 😀 That’s something I will definitely look forward to! Oooooooo I hear laughter in the rain… (oh that’s just me laughing and cringing at my typos)! This was a lot of fun!

  9. Jennifer@GDWJ says

    August 22, 2012 at 9:17 am

    At 5 a.m. this morning, the thunder rumbled outside our window, shaking my husband awake. I heard him rustling in the dark, and I asked him what he was doing. He said he was going to sit in the living room, because it had been so long since he’d heard a good rain. And so he sat out there, in his recliner, just taking it all in until the sun rose.

    (Loved this, Seth. You’re such a thoughtful writer.)

    Reply
    • Seth Haines says

      August 26, 2012 at 4:00 pm

      I’m glad you dropped this line here. I know how y’all’ve (a proper Southernism, by the way) been waiting for that for some time. Sometimes, the best music is that which comes by grace, no?

      Thanks for popping in here JDL. It’s always a pleasure to see you ’round the interwebs.

      Reply
  10. Megan Willome says

    August 22, 2012 at 10:36 am

    Alright, I’m taking your challenge: a love song about rain. Because I am a Texan, and when we–like so many in our state–go to Colorado in the summer, we video the rain, baby!

    Reply
    • Seth Haines says

      August 26, 2012 at 4:01 pm

      Love it.

      One summer I went to Colorado for a camping trip and it starting raining… which promptly turned to sleet… which made me ask, “why do people summer here?”

      Bring that song. I want to hear it!

      Reply
  11. Monica Sharman says

    August 23, 2012 at 4:00 pm

    Here you go! Thanks for the fun.
    http://monicasharman.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-spine-poetry-water.html

    Reply
    • Seth Haines says

      August 26, 2012 at 4:03 pm

      Quite lovely, Monica. I hope you keep playing.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. August Rain: Stormy Weather | Seth Haines says:
    August 20, 2012 at 8:56 am

    […] my weekly posts at Tweetspeak Poetry half as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. I’m there again today talking music (contiue). Share this:EmailTwitterFacebookStumbleUponLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. This entry […]

    Reply
  2. How to Read a Poem: Listen | says:
    July 5, 2013 at 10:15 am

    […] s sounds return like that magical rain, a song that crosses senses into the scent of honeysuckle and the movement of a […]

    Reply

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