“Desert Rain” by Mary Hunter Austin
High in the sierras,
All the smouldering summer,
Sudden the thunder!
Rain on the mountains,
Rain on the dry hills,
Spate in the gullies.
Manna of heaven
That lays the dust of the valleys,
Manna of heaven,
Working a miracle.
Rain on the desert,
Meagre and moldy,
Kissed into blossom;
Nourished to comfort
My heart and my valley’s
After the thunder.
About the poet Mary Hunter Austin
Mary Hunter Austin’s poem Desert Rain captures the transformative power of rain in arid landscapes, both literal and metaphorical. Set against the backdrop of the Sierras and the dry, desolate hills, the poem unfolds with the sudden arrival of a storm, breaking the long, smoldering summer with thunder and torrents of rain. The contrast between drought and renewal is at the heart of the poem, as the rain becomes a divine force—described as “manna of heaven”— bringing relief, nourishment, and even miracles to the parched land.
Austin’s imagery is strikingly vivid, depicting how the rain quenches the valleys, washes away dust, and revives the desert’s fragile ecosystem. She emphasizes how even “meagre and moldy” rain is enough to “kiss” the land into blossom, suggesting that even the smallest offering of sustenance can lead to profound renewal. On a deeper level, the poem speaks to human resilience and emotional restoration, as the rain’s “comfort” mirrors the way hope can emerge from hardship, much like the desert’s revival after the storm.
Austin’s Desert Rain is a celebration of nature’s delicate balance, a recognition of life’s cyclical struggles, and a reminder that even in the harshest environments, renewal is possible.
Learn more about Mary Hunter Austin and her literary legacy here on her poet bio page.