Tornado

Two birds flew
across the yard to the fence
and over the fence and
into the trees on the other
side yesterday in
the sun warming the lawn
and the dogs walking
around in their own business

Were there clouds
in the sky or
was the shadow from
the eaves maybe or my
own thoughts hanging over
as they’ve been doing lately
more often than they
did when i was younger

Hanging that is like the eaves
that shelter birds that build
a nest to keep their children
safe from storms like
the one we had last night
remember how the lightning
tore the blackout curtains
of the sky letting the light
in like an unwelcome guest

The dogs remember the dogs
were nervous but not as
nervous as we or at
least I was in the shower
in the shower separated
by a wall too thin
for the threat of
a tornado but the sky
didn’t turn green that
night except in my dreams