A Magnolia Rain

This year, the opening magnolias were the lushest, thickest, fullest and most perfect I’ve ever seen. When they were still in early bud, Keith said that it is rare for the magnolia blossoms to survive. “Rain,” he said, glumly, “usually comes and destroys them.” Yesterday I walked and cycled around admiring the magnolias. They were almost completely open. Gorgeous. Today, they would have reached the apex of perfection. Last night, it rained. Not a nurturing, nourishing female rain, but a raging male rain with lightning and thunder. Downpours. This morning, the sky is black and the magnolias ragged.

Did someone already say this? Probably. It seems like everything has been said before.

But--would a "Magnolia Rain" be a soft female rain that allowed the magnolias to survive? Or was it this male rain that tortured them?

Mary Stebbins

For Keith