Under My Umbrella
Although I live in sunny and warm Florida I was born and bred in beautiful rainy London. I have now lived in the US longer than I lived in the UK but I am proud to regard both places as home.
Living in England, an umbrella was like an appendage. It was permanently with you because it always seemed to be raining. A telescopic umbrella was preferable, especially when commuting, as it would fold up and drop right into your bag. On those late nights when you would catch the last tube home, it became your weapon of choice for the creepy walk home from the station.
You might regard this as a strange form of shelter but a Brit is never without a ‘brolly’. It provides shelter from the rain and protects you from a possible attacker!
Bring your umbrella
Rainfall inevitable
Shelter from the storm
Copyright © 2022 Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing
All Rights Reserved
Mish is hosting Haibun Monday at D’Verse and has prompted us with forms of Shelter.
Do you still have much family in the UK, Christine?
<3
David
Hi David. I have cousins and nieces and nephews and all their children. My parents are sadly long gone. ❤️
“a Brit is never without a ‘brolly’” ….love that as I’d not heard the term.
I appreciated the concise nature of your haibun and the interesting stories of two different worlds and times.
Thank you Mish. You’re so kind. Yes brolly is slang for umbrella ☺️☂️
I grew up on the westcoast of Sweden, and I learned if you live close to the sea an umbrella is useless against rain… you have to have a raincoat if rain comes with wind.
Yes I can see that. Quite different from summer showers ☂️
Those Florida rains… one side of the street it’s raining and on the other side, it’s dry! This is a lovely insightful haibun.
Thanks Colleen. They are nutty rainfalls that’s for sure! LOL 🤣
While not a fan of umbrellas and a lover of rain, I did enjoy your prose and excellent haiku.
Thank you Bill! Yes I love rain too especially here in Florida. Its always warm and a pleasure to walk in with my dog. We both get soaked and don’t care! ☺️☂️
Umbrella and wellies, depending on social engagements 🙂
Absolutely Jane! ☺️☂️
I learned about this extra appendage a few weeks after moving to Germany. The rain broke and I was all of a sudden the only one without the limb. A clever write. I always enjoy your haibun.
That’s funny! Thank you K. You’re so kind. I still have to have an umbrella here at this time of year because of our rainy season but at least I don’t have to carry it like a weapon anymore 🤣
That’s great news. I always wanted a Mary pooping umbrella with a parrot handle. 😁
From one London-born girl to another, I can’t imagine living in a place that is always sunny and warm, Christine. I love walking in the rain. Saying that, I’m not fond of umbrellas. One place rainier than London is Ireland – in the three years I lived there, I can’t remember a day when it didn’t rain, except the winter we were snowed in!
I completely understand Kim. Walking in the rain with my dogs is a favorite thing. Yea, warm and sunny here in Florida for sure but we are in the middle of our rainy season – June to November. Summer rains are not usually all day affairs. They come in pockets of downpours and then the sun is out and so on. We are warm, sunny and dry in the winter season and by May we are all doing the rain dance! 🤣. Hope all is well with you my fellow Londoner! ❤️
Well done Christine
Thank you Sadje! I’m happy you liked it ☺️💕
You’re most welcome
We have been getting a lot of rain here in Florida and everything is very green outside, but I think London gets more rain.
It seems that way Jim, although we get a lot of rain in the summer in Florida at least we get a long dry season. ☺️. You’re right it is very green right now.
I always have an umbrella in my car, just in case of both scenarios!
LOL Carol! I was much younger in those days and I had a ‘Don’t mess with me attitude’ carrying that little umbrella like it was a club 🤣
A beautiful haibun that talks about two different places and the weather there. An umbrella as a weapon might be very effective against crazies!
Haha! I’m happy you liked it Nitin. ☺️ ☂