The leaves swayed, first like a drunkard at midnight br on a moon swept path that seemed unstable beneath his feet br and then more gently as the wind abated and they, in unison, br slowly rocked as though a host of babies soothed to sleep br by the mothering arms of a softly moderated breeze. br br Clouds barely perceptible in the general greyness br of rain laden sky scudded, slipped silently by br propelled by unseen hands that caressed them br into ever churning figments of imagination, br horses, candy floss and hills, br until overfilled with my thoughts they poured out their rain. br br Splash on the tarmac each impact like a mute firework br exploding droplets that briefly hung in the air and returned br to the rivulets of water careering down the deserted street br and returning to secret depths through gurgling gutters br straining to drink from an overflowing cup of heavens birth. br br Then it stopped as though a silent command had halted each drop br and shafts of sunlight streamed in arrowed ranks between the grey, br flashing gold and green brightly amid the branches laden with wetness br and sparkling silver on the birch bark that shined and clinged br above the gleaming grass that smelled so sweet. br br A rainbow appeared and spoke with colours br starting shyly violet and ending blazon red, br and in between sleepy blue sliding into a restful green, br then awake with yellow and an orange tang announcing br its glorious culminating red, but it had no purple, br perhaps the shyness of violet took its place instead.