First Spring Storm

The loving sounds of spring's first storm rumbling through the darkness out the front window tonight, matched with the few jagged streaks of light, 

a cooling breeze rising in intensity and the unmistakable aroma of the pending rainfall slipping in the open window. 

Not silent and ghostly like winter snow, 

this spring storm steps boldly out into the night with rising crescendos, 

soon to be matched by the clatter of the rain, 

giving rise to a bursting colored palette of new growth from the dark earth in the following days. 

Stay for a time, 

fill the ground with your precious gift,

sing your song through the night, 

like a lullaby bringing dreams to fill my sleep...

August night

The sky is dark with the night coming on quickly
The summer sunset is blocked by an invading cloud mass
Cracking and rolling across the sky the thunder announces the storm's presence
Accentuated by the flashes of electric blue randomly igniting the sky here and there
Reaching to ground in violent streaks of light and power
As the low guttural sounds crack and rumble the drops begin to fall
Slowly at first then in a torrent seemingly to escape the unsettled sky
To seek the apparent safety of the earth
Filling the gutters from the roof tops to finally melt away into the parched ground
Or drain from the hardened surfaces in panicked rivulets
The air is cold as it moves through the open front windows
Fresh, filled with the smell of the earth and electrified air
As quickly as the tempest erupted it subsides
The occasional roar has diminished to a quieted din off in the distance
Leaving behind a cool, fresh darkness meant for sleeping...

Nightmare

On the edge of consciousness I hear the rumble of thunder,
Pulling the sheet and blanket up for protection
I drift back into unconsciousness to dream again…
I’m running as the thunder gets louder, closer,
In a dark jungle, wet abrasive leaves tear at my face,
It's so close, so loud, I fall
Something, someone lands on top of me,
Holding me down they begin digging in to the exposed flesh of my arm,
It's standing above me now,
The sound is deafening as I feel an icy hot probe enter my ear...
No! No! No!
Finally startled awake, I’m safe! Yes, I'm ALIVE! 

The purring cat wanders away across the bed...
Her job done as I roll onto my feet and stumble to the door to let her out....