Summer Storm
(Inspired by the cadence, common words and basic rhyme scheme of the children’s book/poem “Goodnight Moon“)
The day was hot
Anvil clouds shot high
Thunderheads popped
The wind whipped by
Our weathervane
Spun round and round
Then lightning struck
And the rain came down
The sirens blared
The dogs bayed and quivered
The kids got scared
The windows shivered
The thunder crashed
Hail fell all about
Some cars got mashed
Then the lights went out
Our lawn chairs flew off
When the wind suddenly gusted
They never were recovered
And our patio table busted
It was dank, it was dark
In our cellar room
Our flashlight died
We felt full of doom
And then in a moment,
It was quiet at last
The deluge was over
The storm had passed
The dogs were walked
When the rain went away
The dog walkers talked
There was so much to say
Rottie’s roof was pierced
Teacup’s car was crushed
Maltese’s tree fell down
The lab’s sidewalk heaved up.
The chain saws came out
Cleared all the trees away
The power crews arrived
And got the power back to stay
And by and by
Life went back to the norm
Though it wasn’t quite the same
After the summer storm.
Susan Koefod 