Tornado

To me, a tornado is something I’ve seen
In “The Wizard of Oz” as a child.
It hardly seemed real – so much damage and fear
With the forces of Nature gone wild.

Yet the newspapers carry a horrible tale
Of a mile-wide tornado that struck;
And for residents caught in the path of the storm,
There were dozens who ran out of luck.

More than fifty are dead, many others are hurt;
Homes are flattened, with cars strewn in piles.
Oklahoma, though often the sunniest place,
Will for now be quite lacking in smiles.

When Nature rears up and delivers her wrath,
We are frequently caught unawares;
And it’s random which people succumb or survive,
For tornadoes won’t heed someone’s prayers.

Observing the scene from a distance away
I feel sorrow for all those affected;
For tragedy somehow reminds us that yes,
We are all of us somehow connected.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2013



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Date: 5/24/2013 12:03:00 AM
You wrote about this subject with a great sense of sensitivity. In times of tragedy the walls we built amongst ourselves come tumbling down... we realize our sameness deep beneath the skin. Wonderful piece (especially the last stanza).
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Date: 5/21/2013 7:35:00 PM
An outstanding descriptive piece about the devastating tornado in Oklahama. All we can really do is to offer our prayers and to help with the relief effort with a donation. Brilliantly rhymed with a flawless cadence, as is your usual style! Best wishes, Keith
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Date: 5/21/2013 7:08:00 PM
It's just going to get worse every year according to the climate change models. It's past time for folks to take their heads out of the sand and do something. But most of them will just say it's a sign of the Apocalypse and the End of Days. And if nothing changes, they might be right. So nice of you to write it, in any case.
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Date: 5/21/2013 5:48:00 PM
Knew I could expect one on the situation from you. That's why you should submit some to the morning news/talk shows. They eat this stuff up. And this one is excellant. :)
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