Persona poem – a poem in which the writer assumes the identity of another person and speaks in that person’s voice.
The Rain Dancer
he’s a man of the west
with a shiny nose and yellowed shirts
and a stained hat he tips at pretty girls and old women
cause his momma brought him up right
he’s a wild one, but some girl tamed him somewhat some years ago
but his face is still to the sun, he’s still riding the back of the wind
not carin’ ‘bout what lays ahead
not wonderin’ ‘bout what lays ahead
and he’s got nowhere to go and every reason to leave
but he stays and he don’t know why
maybe there’s somethin’
else he knows is here and no where else
somedays, he ‘laxes in the sun on one a them swingin’ hammocks in the trees
hummin’ to hisself ‘bout nothin’ and everythin’
whistelin’ here and there, but not doin’ nothin’
and them papers called this guy a hero
cause he saved a baby back in ‘61
and no one’s bothered him since
and he’s alone up there
laughin’ to hisself
waitin’ for the rain to come again
(C) Sharon Hesper. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission from the author.