The first drops hit
like pellets of sand.
The water creeps into my shoes;
socks dampen,
a slow dread,
each pedal a squelch of misery.
Friends laughing,
wheels spinning,
our legs pump faster, daring the rain
to chase us. And chase us it did.
The rain goes
from a drizzle
to a shower
to a flood.
There’s no fighting it anymore.
Shoes heavy and socks sodden —
but it doesn’t matter now.
The storm outside rages,
while the one within me clears. It’s surreal how the world feels
when you stop caring.
Everything is drenched,
but for that moment nothing matters;
we’re just kids in the rain,
not thinking of tonight
or tomorrow
or college.
Moments like this don’t stay —
but for now, it’s enough to be here.
Just riding on,
soaked to the bone in a downpour that feels endless
yet is anything but.
Maybe that’s why I let go.
To just be happy
with everyone else —
happy to be here
In this storm.
Hans Zhu is currently a twelfth grade student at Singapore American School. He enjoys learning about economics in school, and often spends his free time playing badminton with friends. He was born into a Chinese family in America, and moved to Singapore shortly after to attend SAS. He’s the youngest child with two older sisters, and lives with his mother in Singapore. Hans enjoys writing poems as a way to document memories he doesn’t want to forget.
