For the Narrative 2 unit in English we focused on a relatively new form of writing known as lyrical essays. Lyrical essays, by definition is “a literary hybrid that combines elements of poetry, essay, and memoir.”
Lyrical Essay
Rain. Moisture condensed from
atmospheric water vapor that falls
to the ground under the force of gravity.
That’s the technical definition,
but for me, rain is solace. A
time where I feel in my most natural
state. Infinite.
In the late morning, as my eyes hesitantly
open and resist the light that has been
blocked off for what feels like forever, my
ears begin to calibrate.
Quick, repeated noises hit the asphalt shingles on my roof. It’s a rainy morning.
I step outside, not dressed in proper attire,
purposely letting the rain sink into my skin.
The most pure from of nature interacts with
The most pure form of me.
Petrichor floats into my nostrils. You know
that amazing earthy scent that you sense
just before the rain? It became a thing in 1964.
I breathe it in. My veins relax. I exhale.
Like watching the ocean, the pattern of raindrops is
just varied enough to engage my subconscious, with no sound
distinct enough to demand my attention.
It’s not white noise used to mask
annoying industrial sound waste.
Rain is the pink noise of aliveness.
Rainwater pours its aliveness into plants.
Rainwater is naturally rich in nitrate.
It’s nitrate that makes plants grow
greener.
Rain intensifies memory, senses and
feelings. Beautiful or devastating,
life-imparting or death-delivering.
From playful pitter patter to torrential
armageddon.
Rain is the nitrate of human emotions.
Intentions
For this project, I wanted to write about something beautiful and personal to me. To potentially offer a new perspective to something. What I ultimately landed on was rain. For some odd reason rain is when I feel the most productive and in a good mood. I feel at peace which is something deeply important to me. So for my lyrical essay I not only wanted to write about rain, but I wanted to do research on why it causes one to feel such a way.