Michael H. Brownstein’s work has appeared in American Letters and Commentary, Skidrow Penthouse, Meridian Anthology of Contemporary Poetry, The Pacific Review, After Hours, poetrysuperhighway.com and others. He has nine poetry chapbooks including A Period of Trees (Snark Press, 2004) and The Possibility of Sky and Hell (White Knuckle Press, 2013). His book, A Slipknot Into Somewhere Else: A Poet’s Journey To The Borderlands Of Dementia, was recently published by Cholla Needles Press (2018).
When the Dark Rain Blew Away Our Home
–tornado, Jefferson City, MO around 11:40 PM, May 22, 2019–thankfully no one perished
the trail of debris and broken hope
rooftops blown into splinters and sand
a tree branch through a windshield
the torn photograph of their two week old baby:
What do you need that will make the tornado situation more bearable for you?
House 1: food and a television set
House 2: we’re good, but they need help across the street–more water would be nice
House 3: the fence fixed so our dog can run outside and hang with us
House 4: we’ve helped out our neighbor, but we’re exhausted–another pair of hands
House 5: we have not had hot food in almost a week, no gas, no electricity, just sandwiches–some mashed potatoes and gravy with a side of beans and chicken would be great
House 6: someone from my family to call me just to see if we’re OK—
and then the tornado breath came from her soul
her body stuttered her hands balled into tiny fists
her sobs as loud as wind as loud as storm
tears hitting the cracked foundation of all her hope
Michael H. Brownstein