A few years ago, Tornadoes ripped through Northwest George and Southeast Tennessee. Trenton, Georgia, was hit especially hard; my Chattanooga neighborhood barely. I wrote these during the following days. The Nashville Writers Meetup published them in their book, Soundtrack Not Included.
A Mother
dropped one off
at elementary school
another at high school.
She saw the funnel,
Sheltered in
a convenience store,
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 speeches.
A 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.
A Tai Chi master
plays a wooden flute.
Guitar strings vibrate.
with the energy of peace
stronger than solid earth
which cracks beneath
a nuke plant.
A tsunami wipes out
coastal villages.
A homeless man stands
before the dancers;
backs across the bridge;
seems to preside.
Announcement:
The Plug Poetry Project, Episode 2, produced by Christian Collier, features Poets Carrie Meadows and Earl Braggs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixfSMBMB-Wg