Waking Up To a Thunderstorm


There’s reasons to get up. The
Have-tos, especially, drag me
Out of bed, and the little voice
Chirping from the other room. There’s
Reasons to untie myself from the
Sheet: my own needs and the
Dog’s. And sometimes it’s good
Enough reason to escape
Bleached linoleum dream floors
That I was pacing, searching
For a missing friend.

But this morning the call
Came from the barometer
Falling and rain pattering
On the hard plastic a/c case.
Crawling from sleep,
I pulled on my storm chaser
Habit and tossed back the
Blanket. I checked the
Time, counted the stairs,
Touched the screens to
Tell which direction
She came. Then I
Drew up a chair
By one open
Window
And waited.