Hail Storm
It descended like unforeseen grief
The sky darkened, earth shivered
And all the animals quieted.
Buckshot balls of ice
At terminal velocity
Unleashed an enfilade of fire
On the lines of pine trees
Loitering around our neighborhood.
Soon the streets were obscured
Under a thatched mat of sheared
Off branches and shredded vegetation,
A scene most post-apocalyptic.
Windshields shattered
Houses shed shingles
While the machine gun thrum
Of icy shrapnel dimpling the hoods
Of cars and aluminum siding
Augured the thunderous drumbeat
Of the bloodthirsty war party
About to emerge from the woods.
When it was over a leery silence lingered
As if the world was holding its breath
For the next deluge to drop.
But the sky cleared and the sun emerged
And a rainbow arched across the pale blue.
A boy pointed and said— look, god forgives us!
While his father nodded and wanly smiled
And went on with his restorative work
But didn’t mention how a rainbow
Is actually a full circle,
The other half of the promise
Buried in the mystery of the earth.
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