Precious pets wandering, hungry, thirsty, fearful
torrential waters and vicious winds have seized their families
Waiting for children to play catch and toss frisbees
moms and dads who brush and bathe them
the littlest child cuddling them close in sleep
two tousled heads on a single pillow
Nature’s angry wrath brings calamity and destruction
yet summons the very best in each of us
Hope’s fire still burns in every soul
Witness comfort in the selfless salvation of
neighbors helping neighbors, restaurant kitchens open round the clock
houses of worship coming through as they always do
Buildings swallowed, precious photos lost, family heirlooms gone
all impossible to replace
Cash cannot buy back a wedding band
worn by every bride for four generations,
an ancient treasure sewn into a dress hem
smuggled in from foreign shores
Death counts climb to double digits
we stay glued to devices, praying for strangers
as we would our loved ones
A young couple forced by threats of impending disaster
vacate their home, not once but twice
in as many days
Homes reduced to rubble and ash on sodden earth
scraps of scattered memories
crushed metal, bikes children will never again ride
We learn of a miracle
Amidst the destruction of their street
a lone house stands
tall and proud, untouched by nature’s wrath
as if they had been gone for an hour,
simply forgotten to lock their door
Their home, a haven would keep them secure
a sign of hope, promising future happiness
No storm nature may rain upon us will break our collective spirit
We discover a nugget of remaining fortitude
choose to be lifted up
filling ourselves with courage and strength
Hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, tsunamis, and a global pandemic
can never erase the prayers in our hearts
Mama, your children are safe
you have heard their staticky voices
coming from inside their cozy kitchen
Tonight you can close your eyes
tonight you can sleep
_________________________________________________________________
Jill Sharon Kimmelman is a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee in poetry. She lives in Wilmington Delaware with her husband Tim Little. She is the proud mother of her son Jordan.
torrential waters and vicious winds have seized their families
Waiting for children to play catch and toss frisbees
moms and dads who brush and bathe them
the littlest child cuddling them close in sleep
two tousled heads on a single pillow
Nature’s angry wrath brings calamity and destruction
yet summons the very best in each of us
Hope’s fire still burns in every soul
Witness comfort in the selfless salvation of
neighbors helping neighbors, restaurant kitchens open round the clock
houses of worship coming through as they always do
Buildings swallowed, precious photos lost, family heirlooms gone
all impossible to replace
Cash cannot buy back a wedding band
worn by every bride for four generations,
an ancient treasure sewn into a dress hem
smuggled in from foreign shores
Death counts climb to double digits
we stay glued to devices, praying for strangers
as we would our loved ones
A young couple forced by threats of impending disaster
vacate their home, not once but twice
in as many days
Homes reduced to rubble and ash on sodden earth
scraps of scattered memories
crushed metal, bikes children will never again ride
We learn of a miracle
Amidst the destruction of their street
a lone house stands
tall and proud, untouched by nature’s wrath
as if they had been gone for an hour,
simply forgotten to lock their door
Their home, a haven would keep them secure
a sign of hope, promising future happiness
No storm nature may rain upon us will break our collective spirit
We discover a nugget of remaining fortitude
choose to be lifted up
filling ourselves with courage and strength
Hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, tsunamis, and a global pandemic
can never erase the prayers in our hearts
Mama, your children are safe
you have heard their staticky voices
coming from inside their cozy kitchen
Tonight you can close your eyes
tonight you can sleep
_________________________________________________________________
Jill Sharon Kimmelman is a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee in poetry. She lives in Wilmington Delaware with her husband Tim Little. She is the proud mother of her son Jordan.
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