Tornado Weather

Brittleness in light-
stark bright yellow
above circling dun bluffs-
stark blighting blackness in the west-
heavy electric air that stills
birdsong, and silences
July afternoon breeze.

Something-Coming-Soon-
scalp-itching, eye-twitching
weight of unnamable
Something-Soon-

And when it comes, relief
almost
before the terror of wind-fingers
hooking asphalt shingles,
of our frightened corner-huddle
with silent spiders
in the concrete basement

while the unseen-but-heard
funnel winds itself into a summer frenzy
not two blocks away-
dreadnought whine that blots
all other sounds along

the line of wood-shake homes
that shudder at its passing.
And
then

half-remembered
deafness as
it dies
and
drops
and

silver twilight blends the Rimrocks
surrounding Billings-
black slicks of water
studded with twisted branches like
ragged spears;
wheatfields snarled in good-morning
wisps of shattered gold;
windows broken, trees broken, power
lines broken into black bones
along the road-
and silver twilight
blends rain-black cliffs
with the passing breath
of Death.

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