[Instrumental Intro – dry percussion, muted guitar] [Spoken] Radio said Thursday. Then Friday. Then: “Conditions may change.” [Verse 1] First rain darkened the road in May Just enough for everybody to plant I opened the sack we saved from last year Counted the rows with the back of my hand Millet went in by the termite mound Beans on the side where the soil stays deep Two days later the wind came hot By the seventh, nothing left underneath Every morning I walked the same line Pressed one finger into the ground Dust on the nail No water down [Pre-Chorus] At the borehole: twelve yellow cans three women ahead one tap running thin Someone says: “Maybe tonight.” Nobody answers. [Chorus] The rain came late Hard on the zinc Filled every bucket before we could think The rain came late Brown through the gate Good for the tank Too late for the grain [Verse 2] Seed costs more at the market now Dealer shrugs when I ask him why School wants payment Monday morning My youngest needs a book and shoes his size I sold two hens on Saturday Kept one note folded inside my dress Bought half a sack and planted again No speeches. Just less. [Instrumental Break – guitar and percussion] [Verse 3] Then one night the whole roof shook Water hammered the cooking shed Kids ran laughing into the yard I stood under cover and watched instead Down by the field the channels broke Topsoil ran across the track Three weeks asking the sky for water Now too much came back [Chorus] The rain came late Hard on the zinc Filled every bucket before we could think The rain came late Brown through the gate Good for the tank Too late for the grain [Bridge – stripped down] Next morning I found six rows standing four gone two I couldn’t tell yet I pushed the soil back around the roots that held Then went home and made breakfast. [Rhythmic Build] [Final Chorus] The rain came late Still, we went out Cleared every channel dug the edges back out The rain came late No lesson, no sign Just water at the wrong time [Outro] Radio says: “More rain possible.” I turn it off.
