Pregnant with moisture,
The clouds labor in earnest
To bring forth the storm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lightning tears a wound
In the undulating sky.
The clouds roar in pain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thunder screams orders.
Demanding obedience,
Or firing squad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hail tattoos the ground.
It leaves its mark everywhere,
The storm's signature.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A tornado spins.
Enticing with twisting hips
In a dance of death.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rainfall claws faces,
Spitting like an angry cat
That has gotten wet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The storm signs its name
On Earth and its citizens.
Fear the wrath above.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wind eases now.
The storm is slowly dying.
It gasps one last breath.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tentative rainbow
Plays peek-a-boo with the clouds.
The storm is over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Soothing balm of sun
Lays hands on the destruction
And the land is healed.

(C) Copy written, 2002/Revised, 2004, by Karla Dorman.