Wow! There really wasn't a tornado or earthquake last night, and we didn't dream it. We were awakened by the sound of what could have been a military transport plane above our house, the ground rolling beneath our house, or an enormous thunder clap rattling the walls, but we were too tired to investigate.
This morning in front of our house, there is a slab of concrete that abutted the drain sewer, which has been flipped over and is in the street exposing a 4'x5' hole. So, a semi truck must have hit the curb and taken out the slab right at the entrance to our driveway.
It's still poetry month, so this poem, written after the New Year's Eve tornado, is for all the storm chasers out there.
Youthful Tornadic Energy
Linda O'Connell (c)
Wind whips, gusts howl, sirens shriek.
Thunderhead barrels up interstate,
swerves, drops down, streaks across prairies,
flattens flora and fauna, peels roofs like sunburned skin,
splinters treetops wishbone-fashion.
Strangles the river, relinguishes its bully grip, and scoots.
Reverberating trees and hearts still.
Night air thickens, blackness sizzles with electrified ions.
People search for their candles and wits, survey the damage,
contact loved ones.
My cell phone plinks a text received.
I read the message and gasp. My granddaughter
sends a just snapped image of the swirling
wide-mouthed monster bearing down,
chomping faster than her boyfriend can drive.
Her message, Isn’t ths a grt sht?
I climb the basement stairs
shake the wrinkles out of my wadded up nerves
pray, and think aloud, “I used to be young.”
I text, Silly ltl sht, gt home.
15 comments:
Wow, Linda, this poem really tapped into my senses.It felt like I was there witnessing the whole scene. Way to go with the texting.
Easter Blessings to you.
The young are invincible - don't you remember:-)?
Those verbs of yours just sucked me in and whirled me around in a wonderful poetic frenzy! And "peels roofs like sunburned skin!" Ooh--painfully delightful. Sorry to hear about the not-so-natural (?) disaster in your yard!
Love and Blessed Easter. sandie
Yes, great images. You seem to write a lot of weather lines. I will try to remember that when I see submission calls for weather poetry like I have in the past. Happy Easter.....c
Catching up, see you made it (finally) back on Blogger. :-)
Great poem...made me think of the time my mom called me outside to see a tornado. Yes, my MOM. I made her come inside. ;-)
Made me think of the scene in Dantes Peak when they were trying to stay ahead of a volcanic blast destroying everything behind them. That was a really good one Linda.
"...like sunburned skin (worth $20)...splinters trees wishbone-fashion (worth $25)..." Great images.
Your text to your granddaughter...priceless!
ha ha ha ha ha Good job, Linda. You always make me laugh. Susan
Hi Folks,
Weather is churning here again. Another rock and roll night. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. It means so much to me.
Linda, you are so lucky that that truck didn't come rolling into your house! (And I enjoyed your poem...)
We don't have tornadoes up here in the Great Northwest. Occasional earthquakes with threats of 'the Big One'. I would be terrified, I'm sure. Love the ending of your poem. Kids are fearless, aren't they?
Terrific snapshot of the craziness we call Missouri springtime weather.
Pat
www.critteralley.blogspot.com
Great post!!
Ha ha ha! Love it!
Post a Comment