Jump Start

Storms, spinning - jump start to
severe weather season, with
tornado watches/warnings
in Missouri, Illinois -
already. J A N U A R Y !!
Looks like it could rain any
minute, though. The middle of
Winter, feels like March, April.
Four o'clock, seventy four
degrees. Crazy! The better
dynamics are to the east
of Dallas, storms can't be ruled
out here, but if any form,
they shouldn't be as strong (so
they s a y). Getting earlier,
the storms. Hate this time of year.

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

!! The Winter That Wouldn't Die !!

Sounds like a horror movie,
!! The Winter That Wouldn't Die !!
And it won't: keeps coming back
like the Zombies from "Night of
the Living Dead." If this keeps
up, they'll have company: face
frozen in a rictus of
'Enough!' Chills play "Tingler" on
the spine. "Nightmare(s) on Elm Street"
(and ev'ry other wanting
a break): L o o k. "The Hills Have Eyes"
(Jack's back: redrum. R E D R U M). "I
Know What YOU Did Last Summer,"
they mutter with breath smelling
like ... used mukluks. You wished for
warmth; you'll get cold and plenty
of it. At least there are no
spiders or sharks to worry
about ... you know, could be worse ...
could be summer ... "House of Wax"???

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

Weathermen Gone Wild!

... the change of seasons comes with
little warning. One minute,
clear as the truth; the next, a

perfect storm. Mornings can start
out sunny and warm; by the
afternoon, Winter can drive

its way south, stalling us in
our shorts. It's no wonder the
weathermen have gone wild - hard

enough to predict what will
happen without a curveball
thrown in by Mother Nature!

(c) 2007, Karla Dorman.

One Track Mind

After weather, what is there
to talk about? Could discuss
aches and pains, but think I should
leave them where they are, hidden
under a thin veneer of

Tylenol, why bring them up?
Could talk politics - no, best
not - want to remain friends. Hmm.
What else, besides the weather??
Should have seen it: the pouring

rain, the lightning, heard the roll
of thunder - glad it wasn't the roar
of a tornado. Could have
been, if conditions had come
together. And that rainbow!

The largest and brightest I
had ever seen, hung against
the dark of storms, passed. It was
lovely - just glad it didn't
get as bad as they said it

was going to. Mean, we were
under a moderate risk
of severe (which means we would
probably get it). Wait. We
were not going to talk - did

you see that TV program?
No - all I saw was the news.
All bad. Never mind. What books
have you read, lately? Jodi
Picoult's "The Tenth Circle" is

what I'm reading; before that,
"Big Weather" by Mark Svenvold.
There I go again - can't
help myself. After weather,
what IS there to talk about??

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

I Have Never Seen God ...

I HAVE NEVER SEEN GOD ...

but smell Him, in Nature's
embrace. I have never heard
Him, but feel His Voice in the
clouds. I have never touched
Him, but taste His Mercy on
my face - all I have to do is
open my eyes to speak: He IS.

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

Funnel

The sky is a livid vivid blue black
The scorched torched clouds
sheared speared seared
by jagged bolts of light -
The clouds are tortured
tattered shattered
PULSATING rotating
animated agitated
roiling boiling
>concentrated<
in a swirling
whirling
funnel -
look deep
and behold
the eye of the storm.

(c) 2003, Revised, 2008, Karla Dorman.

Rain

Th
und
er gigg
les on the
horizon, teas
ing the nose with
smells of liquid ref
reshment, deliverance
that comes in the falling
of rain. The healer of a
land burnt under a mean
sun, a soothing b a l m
to comfort the soul.
....... R A I N .......
Beautiful Rain.

(c) 2007, Karla Dorman.

M O M M Y ! !

Lightning flashes, whitewashing
my room to pale. All is bleached
bone: the walls, the floor, the bed
- I am the only dark thing, hidden
behind the thundering of my heart.

Please: turn away. It would be
better if you were blind, so you
wouldn't have to see the coward
I've become, cringing under the
sheets. MOMMY!! Where are you?

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

Building Basements

Perhaps if I write
about it, IT won't
'get me,' the demon
of fear in storms -

perhaps it's a way
of building basements
in a place where none
exists - a w a l l

of words, if you will,
to hide behind. It's
the only thing that
helps keep me sane ...

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

Rude Awakening

Sensitivity to nerves ripe with fear
as the sky opens directly over my
head: lightning flashing! Thunder
crashing! Rain blowing sideways
on mad sheets of wind: a tornado
of sound. A massive jolt finds me
blinking stupidly from the floor at
the sun streaming in through the
window. All that panic for nothing.
What a way to begin the morning!

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

The Calm, After

The calm, after the fury of the storm ...
much needed and appreciated, sun
shining behind the dark of cloud. A
bumpy couple of days and nights with
tornado watches/warnings issued
continually. Over 80 mile an hour
winds and 20,000 lightning strikes
keeping nerves lit like the skies,
overhead. Sleep? What's that? We're
safe, now. Wasn't so sure we would be
last nihgt ... have the memories of what
was, ones we would rather much forget!

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

Safety of Your Arms

A valuable lesson learned
today: through the storms,
You are always in control.

Prayed to keep them away,
You had other plans. They
formed nearly on top of us!

A great demonstration of
Your power, Your Grace:
You answered my prayers.

Hail! High winds! Flooding
rain! Severe lightning! The
thing I fear most: a funnel!

The sirens screamed! I sang
right along with them, part
in praise (and part in fear).

You got us through. You
kept us safe. No damage
(except shattered nerves).

That does not mean I like
storms any better. Wouldn't
mind underground shelter ...

You reminded me to take
refuge in the safety of Your
arms. Thank You, Lord Jesus.

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

Failed Audition

The sky only knew one way to
go: down. It funneled to ground,
a mad/swirl of confusion and
chaos as it pressed close to the
heart of fear. I sang in concert
with wailing sirens, a duet
not worth Idolizing, to hear
twin sis tell it: she said it was
worse than the tornado. Simon
Cowell would agree. It was bad.
More than. Paula and Randy might
be more sympathetic. Voice was
a little shaky - could blame nerves.
Did not make it to the next round.

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman

Counting Blessings

Who would think the sun would
be so beautiful? Part of the sky
fell, ripped from the trees, left to
sparkle greenly on my eyes .. . ...

could have been worse. Others
to the south, east, north are not
as fortunate: all we lost were a
few leaves. They lost all, all but

their lives. Buzzing of chainsaws
and thundering hammers scent
ears with hope as they rebuild -
a strong, resilient sound as the

sun rises on the morning after
the tornadoes. It feels so good.

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman.

Deeper Shade of Chicken

Moderate means likely. A chance
of severe storms in the forecast
once again. Not so much today,

but tomorrow through tomorrow
evening, late. Repeat performance
of Monday's weather? Let's pray not:

know I'm supposed to trust in Him,
but when tornadoes are mentioned,
turn a deeper shade of chicken.

Maybe they'll come, maybe they won't,
and that's the rub: uncertainty.
Wondering. Keep us in your prayers -

(c) 2008, Karla Dorman