Tornado

Sky’s black fingered-funnel, pierces 
the night; five people dead; brothers, 
uncles, little mite.

Store clerks, soldiers, sheriffs in pants,
passed on to Jesus, pastors’ rants.


Ripped from the earth, never the norm, 
houses gone, and cars in storm.

Roaring skies leave nought to shame; in
tornado’s deadly game.

Fire crews tear at deep-piled rubble, grey dust 
catching, morning’s stubble.

Now the chaos, disaster’s bell, broken gas 
and garbage smell, flattened ground where
houses were, shocked folk’s hearts, begin to stir.

Woman’s search for little dog, lies beneath the 
swampy bog.

Clothes and shoes hang from the trees, honey-splatter,
from the bees; little spared by Devil’s knell,  all is gone
to earthly hell.

We who bring the sheaves, to bread, brick and timber, 
pipes and lead, grant us peace from wrath above,
sooth us with your sun’s warm glove.

Save your scorn for those who hurt, not the town of 
love and work, let the people rise and rally, spare us 
from tornado alley!
Copyright © | Year Posted 2015

Poem

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Brown Avatar
May 17, 2015 at 8:06 PM
Excellent recounting of a brutal force of nature. I had the opportunity to observe one from the (relative) safety of a plane and....even from a distance, it was truly a terrifying sight
A  Avatar
May 12, 2015 at 1:04 PM
one of nature's not so beauty affects, but tragedies as such bring many together in the time of need which is beauty to my mind~luv skat~
Flint Avatar
May 11, 2015 at 10:45 PM
A nice dedication to those killed by tornadoes. I live in a tornado alley so I can relate. Thanks for sharing Peter.
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