Close/Soon

The derecho downed

Thousands of trees,

Two in my back yard.

Both fell on our house,

Toppling chimney,

Ripping down gutters,

Driving heavy branches 

Through shingled roof.

One spearlike stem

Missed me as I slept,

By the width of my bed.

Water on me woke me,

Not the cracking sound.

It was close, but not soon

Enough to take me asleep.

Tending, Terzata #47

The oak limb in the yard, bending,

Close to breaking,

Required careful tending.

Upon my waking,

The tree was on the ground.

I hadn’t felt the earth shaking

Or heard its falling sound.

In a few days it was gone,

Its thick stump ground.

I planted another one,

A sapling depending

On me like father to son . . .

Already ascending.