If The Rain Won't Come Poem by Tony Adah

If the rain will not come
The rivers will sink beneath their bed and the oceans a pillar of salt,
Our throat seat will be
And our tongues will sizzle
With a drop of our spittle like
A drop of water upon an earthenware
On a hearth.
If the rain won't come
The earth will scorch and crack
Like a china pieces in a mishap,
Not a dust will rise
From this desert
And the greens will flame
Into brown or gray like
Senescent hair on a man's head
Who has seen one Christmas too many.

If the rain will not come
Hades will build on earth
And everyone, saint or villain
Will reap the same
And cry and wail and gnash
Their teeth.
If the rain won't come
The sky will breath fire
And lick all bayous dry
Alligators and crocodiles,
Kings of the swamp
Will have their fangs blunt
And stunted and children those alive
With strength will put their fingers
In the kings'mouth.

If the rain will not come
Of course in between
Something will happen
Or drought will present himself
On a platter of thirst,
Hard enough to touch,
And real enough to feel.
It's new name, armageddon
Will sweet us with his talons,
A grave portent of our end.