Hello raincoat, my old friend

SCT · Oct 28, 2023

I began writing this while finishing the Camino Ingles a few days ago in the rain. It goes out to all the pilgrims who have been walking the last few weeks, especially in Galicia.

Hello raincoat my old friend
It’s time to don you once again
Because the mist is softly creeping
And the rain is slowing seeping
I am walking now in dripping misery
And I can’t see
Amid the sound of raindrops

“Fool,” said I, “why am I here?
This rain will never end I fear.
My Brierley is soaked and wet.
I cannot see a café yet.”
But my fears like silent teardrops fell
And echoed in the sound of raindrops

On pilgrim trails we plodded on
To walk this day’s half-marathon
‘Neath a eucalyptus overhang
I turned my jacket to the cold and rain
When my heart was warmed
By the sight of a yellow sign
A guide divine
That touched the sound of raindrops

And in the arrow’s light I saw
Ten million pilgrims maybe more
Whose ancient footsteps passed this way before
Whose courage spoke forevermore
“The Camino calls and we must walk the way!”
Despite the sound of raindrops

To Santiago we will go
St. James is waiting, this I know
We follow where the arrows lead
Through sun and rain we will proceed
And the vision that was planted in my soul
Remains my goal
Despite the sound of raindrops

~by Susan Thomas

Camino Chrissy · Oct 28, 2023

I love that old song "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel. You have made a wonderful version of your own and I found myself singing the tune as I read your words. Well done!

P.S. I returned a few days ago from walking the Camino de Madrid and only had a spit and a half day of rain in three weeks, but then I was mostly heading north from Madrid, not in Galicia.

JesperK · Oct 28, 2023

Very fitting for the weather in Galicia the last few weeks. The first time I've ever had to stop to empty my boots of water.

El Cascayal · Oct 28, 2023

I was walking the end of the Norte during the “coastal event” mid month. We went from 90F heat to strong, never ending hard rain with 50-80 km winds. Wet to the bone!!! And so happy. Best buy of my entire life was the €4 last remaining poncho bought in the nick of time in the bookstore+ store in the Plaza at Sobrado Dos Monxes on a Sunday afternoon 3 minutes before they closed. A cat had hidden inside or they would have closed earlier. I am a new cheap sturdy poncho convert. How do you spell dry, dry, dry in a monsoon?

WhiteLotus · Oct 28, 2023

SCT said:
I began writing this while finishing the Camino Ingles a few days ago in the rain. It goes out to all the pilgrims who have been walking the last few weeks, especially in Galicia.

Hello raincoat my old friend
It’s time to don you once again
Because the mist is softly creeping
And the rain is slowing seeping
I am walking now in dripping misery
And I can’t see
Amid the sound of raindrops

“Fool,” said I, “why am I here?
This rain will never end I fear.
My Brierley is soaked and wet.
I cannot see a café yet.”
But my fears like silent teardrops fell
And echoed in the sound of raindrops

On pilgrim trails we plodded on
To walk this day’s half-marathon
‘Neath a eucalyptus overhang
I turned my jacket to the cold and rain
When my heart was warmed
By the sight of a yellow sign
A guide divine
That touched the sound of raindrops

And in the arrow’s light I saw
Ten million pilgrims maybe more
Whose ancient footsteps passed this way before
Whose courage spoke forevermore
“The Camino calls and we must walk the way!”
Despite the sound of raindrops

To Santiago we will go
St. James is waiting, this I know
We follow where the arrows lead
Through sun and rain we will proceed
And the vision that was planted in my soul
Remains my goal
Despite the sound of raindrops

~by Susan Thomas

How could you not read this and instantly be humming along and hearing Simon & Garfunkel…..this was absolutely fantastic and brought a huge smile to my face and many memories of my life back when this was first released. Well done on your very clever poetry and thank you!

️

Rita Flower · Oct 28, 2023

Beautiful- and made my eyes a little wet too - or was that just the rain

HumanistHiker · Oct 28, 2023

Brilliant! I'm so glad I didn't postpone my Camino by a week. One soggy day was plenty.

LibbyM · Oct 28, 2023

SCT said:
I began writing this while finishing the Camino Ingles a few days ago in the rain. It goes out to all the pilgrims who have been walking the last few weeks, especially in Galicia.

Hello raincoat my old friend
It’s time to don you once again
Because the mist is softly creeping
And the rain is slowing seeping
I am walking now in dripping misery
And I can’t see
Amid the sound of raindrops

“Fool,” said I, “why am I here?
This rain will never end I fear.
My Brierley is soaked and wet.
I cannot see a café yet.”
But my fears like silent teardrops fell
And echoed in the sound of raindrops

On pilgrim trails we plodded on
To walk this day’s half-marathon
‘Neath a eucalyptus overhang
I turned my jacket to the cold and rain
When my heart was warmed
By the sight of a yellow sign
A guide divine
That touched the sound of raindrops

And in the arrow’s light I saw
Ten million pilgrims maybe more
Whose ancient footsteps passed this way before
Whose courage spoke forevermore
“The Camino calls and we must walk the way!”
Despite the sound of raindrops

To Santiago we will go
St. James is waiting, this I know
We follow where the arrows lead
Through sun and rain we will proceed
And the vision that was planted in my soul
Remains my goal
Despite the sound of raindrops

~by Susan Thomas

Wonderful words and si apt for how I was feeling last week. Thank you.

Rick of Rick and Peg · Oct 29, 2023

Thank you Susan.

Folks, this instrumental accompanyment is just a bit short but click the arrow (not the title) and scroll up to post #1.

Camino Chrissy · Oct 29, 2023

Rick of Rick and Peg said:
Thank you Susan.

Folks, this instrumental accompanyment is just a bit short but click the arrow (not the title) and scroll up to post #1.

Fantastic, Rick! Thanks for thinking to do that.

SirenGray · Oct 29, 2023

SCT said:
I began writing this while finishing the Camino Ingles a few days ago in the rain. It goes out to all the pilgrims who have been walking the last few weeks, especially in Galicia.

Hello raincoat my old friend
It’s time to don you once again
Because the mist is softly creeping
And the rain is slowing seeping
I am walking now in dripping misery
And I can’t see
Amid the sound of raindrops

“Fool,” said I, “why am I here?
This rain will never end I fear.
My Brierley is soaked and wet.
I cannot see a café yet.”
But my fears like silent teardrops fell
And echoed in the sound of raindrops

On pilgrim trails we plodded on
To walk this day’s half-marathon
‘Neath a eucalyptus overhang
I turned my jacket to the cold and rain
When my heart was warmed
By the sight of a yellow sign
A guide divine
That touched the sound of raindrops

And in the arrow’s light I saw
Ten million pilgrims maybe more
Whose ancient footsteps passed this way before
Whose courage spoke forevermore
“The Camino calls and we must walk the way!”
Despite the sound of raindrops

To Santiago we will go
St. James is waiting, this I know
We follow where the arrows lead
Through sun and rain we will proceed
And the vision that was planted in my soul
Remains my goal
Despite the sound of raindrops

~by Susan Thomas

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! I finished the del Norte last Sunday and am now resting comfortably in my warm and cozy home. However!… I feel every single drippy word you’ve written, reliving the “why am I here” sentiment as though my soaking wet raincoat (inside and out) were adhering to my body with cold and clammy tenacity, water dropping from the tip of my nose… yet I did it. WE did it! And we’ll probably do it again because “the Camino calls and we must walk the way!” Be blessed, my fellow peregrina, and thank you!

Richard Smith · Oct 29, 2023

So good. I am saving a copy, attributed to you of course. Thank you.

HappyValerie · Oct 29, 2023

Rick of Rick and Peg said:
Thank you Susan.

Folks, this instrumental accompanyment is just a bit short but click the arrow (not the title) and scroll up to post #1.

So beautiful! ( And I love her hiking dress )

Sue127 · Oct 29, 2023

Thank you so much. This could have an airing at our folk club, attributed to you, @SCT of course.

Peregrinopaul · Oct 29, 2023

Camino Chrissy said:
I found myself singing the tune as I read your words. Well done!

Same here. The other Paul might even approve.

SCT · Oct 29, 2023

WhiteLotus said:
How could you not read this and instantly be humming along and hearing Simon & Garfunkel…..this was absolutely fantastic and brought a huge smile to my face and many memories of my life back when this was first released. Well done on your very clever poetry and thank you! ️

Thank you for your kind comment!! It was fun writing it.

SCT · Oct 29, 2023

Rita Flower said:
Beautiful- and made my eyes a little wet too - or was that just the rain

Thank you!

SCT · Oct 29, 2023

SirenGray said:
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! I finished the del Norte last Sunday and am now resting comfortably in my warm and cozy home. However!… I feel every single drippy word you’ve written, reliving the “why am I here” sentiment as though my soaking wet raincoat (inside and out) were adhering to my body with cold and clammy tenacity, water dropping from the tip of my nose… yet I did it. WE did it! And we’ll probably do it again because “the Camino calls and we must walk the way!” Be blessed, my fellow peregrina, and thank you!

Thanks so much! We were so, so wet! Many caminos and this is the first with this weather.

SCT · Oct 29, 2023

Peregrinopaul said:
Same here. The other Paul might even approve.

Thanks so much!

David Tallan · Oct 29, 2023

SCT said:
I began writing this while finishing the Camino Ingles a few days ago in the rain. It goes out to all the pilgrims who have been walking the last few weeks, especially in Galicia.

Hello raincoat my old friend
It’s time to don you once again
Because the mist is softly creeping
And the rain is slowing seeping
I am walking now in dripping misery
And I can’t see
Amid the sound of raindrops

“Fool,” said I, “why am I here?
This rain will never end I fear.
My Brierley is soaked and wet.
I cannot see a café yet.”
But my fears like silent teardrops fell
And echoed in the sound of raindrops

On pilgrim trails we plodded on
To walk this day’s half-marathon
‘Neath a eucalyptus overhang
I turned my jacket to the cold and rain
When my heart was warmed
By the sight of a yellow sign
A guide divine
That touched the sound of raindrops

And in the arrow’s light I saw
Ten million pilgrims maybe more
Whose ancient footsteps passed this way before
Whose courage spoke forevermore
“The Camino calls and we must walk the way!”
Despite the sound of raindrops

To Santiago we will go
St. James is waiting, this I know
We follow where the arrows lead
Through sun and rain we will proceed
And the vision that was planted in my soul
Remains my goal
Despite the sound of raindrops

~by Susan Thomas

I was working on one:
Yellow arrow my old friend
I've come to walk with you again...

But I never completed it. Good for you!

Rick of Rick and Peg · Oct 29, 2023

Terrific start though David.

jalluisi · Oct 29, 2023

Thank you!

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Hello raincoat, my old friend

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