Noah

I wonder how they felt when the rains came down,
when the dark waves were ankle-deep,
and it began to look as if the forecasters were
unbelievably correct.

Did they mend their ways and hope
that would be enough? Or
did they think they could ride this out
and things would return to normal?

I wonder when they began to believe
that seeking high ground might not be
as absurd as it had once appeared,
and the threat was real.

When they laughed at Noah,
did no-one cast an eye to gathering clouds
and wonder if, maybe,
God had had enough?

I wonder how they felt, neck-deep,
when the would-haves and should-haves
came home to roost in their new reality;
when the ark sailed off, never looking back,
toward a rainbow they would never see.