Storm Poems

Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash

This is the full text of the Storm Poems that I included in my recent live broadcast.

The initial segment consisted of me sitting silently with a butterfly perched on my finger, but that part was not visible since I had not activated the camera.

Storm Poems

A Mother

dropped one off at elementary school
and another at high school.

She saw the funnel, 
and sheltered in 
a convenience store. She
wondered which daughter
she should go to first. 

Texting

Tornado
N it
me 2
U OK?

My neighborhood

Flowers among rocks
Campfires and whiskey
Candles in the wind

Dedication of the Peace Grove

Officials give impressive speechs
Little boy rides by on a tricycle
Brmm Brmm Brmm
Blah Blah Blah
Bye Bye

The Healing

The dance is not linear.
Forward and back
the dancers move.

Elaborate moves
heal the wounds
inflicted
by non-linear winds,
whirling 
in their greatest power.

Original text was cenetered. The reference to the Tsunami and Nuclear Power plants puts a date on these poems.

Those poems appeared in the Sound Track Not Included anthology from the Nashville Writers’ Meetup. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15838623-soundtrack-not-included.

I also read the following poem during the live session.

Ocoee Dam Deli and Diner

Conveniently located near a dam
the name provides infinite marketing opportunities
"Dam Staff" emblazoned on server's shirts. 
The word liberally liberally sprinkled throughout the menue. 

I chose the Garden Dam Wrap", nestled among
"Dam Burgers", "Dam Salads", and other 'Dam" selections. 
A veggie burger wrapped in a soft shell, 
it's topped with salsa, lettuce, and cheese. 

I found the black bean soup woth the upcharge;
substituted for the regular fries or chips. 
It was a real meal after three lunches of turkey sandwhiches,
my usual fair for meals on the road.

Informal attire rules the day, t-shirts and shorts, 
ofset by an ocasional long, tie dyed skirt. 
No bathing suits allowed. The rule endorses
proper attire and health department regulations. 

Crowded on Friday with adventurous souls ready
for a whitewater trip, or just finished with one,
the place looks prosperous. I wonder how they do
in January. However they do, it's "dam" good food.  

The Smoky the Bear Sutra poem I read can be found on the Sacred Texts web page. It is considered a sacred text of Buddhism.