The lady sat on the ground,
or what was in the middle of a pool,
her baskets with her all around,
watching her in the rain, a fool.
Her business was nothing in the rain,
her flowers were getting destroyed, giving her pain.
Yes, she chose to sit outside
when everyone in shade did hide.
Why she does that, I do not know;
the rain, its powers, to this old lady did show.
She took out her umbrella after all this time,
hoping to get a customer worth a dime.
I could not stand there in the shade,
staring at the old lady in pain.
I moved in the rain and put her in business,
though the money I lost was my loss.
A happy face, her smile now showed,
taking the baskets and moving along,
the rain now her problem after all,
her departure now not so long.
I was moving to my shade where I hide,
she moved to one on the other side of the road.
The flowers in my hand, worthless to me,
brought my heart the happiness that I set her free.
Originally published on Paradise Lost.