Rainwalker

By Donnie R. Wallen

Head down, and mind empty, I follow the sidewalk
Sidewalks are a novelty for me
Where I am from, they don’t exist
Here, now,
I walk on one
The concrete segments flow underneath me
Oblivious to their novelty
And to the tiny frigid raindrops that attack them
I walk the sidewalk
I walk through the rain
I walk soaked to my core
Into the unknown
Because I fear it less
Than I dread going home.

Donnie R. Wallen Biography

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Donnie R. Wallen is an eastern Kentucky poet. Having written poetry for much of his life he is
now in search of an audience that will enjoy his work. He writes about depression, burnout,
exhaustion, and survival. His first collection, “Broken Images” was published in 2000. Much
more recently he published “Grey Days in the Green Hills” and “Treading Water”. Donnie’s work will resonate with readers who find comfort in honesty, melancholy, and the occasional flicker of hope. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys painting, woodworking, and hiking with his wife and their cat, Scout, near the lakes and in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains.