Siren Went Off Poem by Savita Tyagi

Siren went off
Tried to ignore it
afternoon was floating lazily
Curiosity for outside world at its lowest
still I thought
Tornado forming somewhere
this is the season
Oklahomans cross their fingers
Hold their hearts
And wait
where and what nature's wrath will bring
All watching the gray skies
hoping and praying.....
siren went off again and again
dark clouds were forming
Bright sunshine had disappeared
it was hard to ignore any more
I came out of bedroom and turned T.V.on
all local channels were active with Tornado news
a big swath of Oklahoma territory covered with bright red
Our town included in danger zone
I was all alert now
Trying to figure out which way it was coming
And where it was going
weathermen trying to keep up with the massive dark gray of sky
Moving, tightening slowly transforming in to grey funnel
A moving messenger of death and destruction
Yet creating a thrill for storm chasers
I felt excitement building in my chest
it was far from us
Weather clock showed the time
It would be hitting Edmond soon
One fiftieth, one sixty four, hundred and seventy eight
Familiar street names repeated one by one
Clock was ticking
I looked at my innermost closet
We would need to hide!
the twister was ferocious
sky became all dark
Fierce wind hundred and fifty miles per hour
Commentators were shouting for people to take cover
I was amazed at the exact pinpointing of locations
How quickly it came and passed through our crossing street
Down the street it went crossing highway
the fear, the thrill, the anticipation
All building and subsiding faster than I could think
but we were spared
a sigh of relief passed through my lips
It passed next town and then next town
Before touching down
Uprooting trees
Tossing houses and trailers
Like Lego blocks
Twisted metal, wood, bricks
Clothing, sofa chairs
Scattered all around
Life was simply a pile of trash
we were spared but others were not so lucky
death and destruction was there with the blink of an eye
with horror and disbelief I watched the images on T.V.
the formidable power of Mother Nature
Its pulverizing might
Against the sorrow and despair of humanity
how quickly life changes
Still we pick up the pieces and move on
building, helping, consoling each other
Offering our support and prayers
There is no other way out
Such is the human resilience.
Pray for strength
O restless mind! Just pray for strength.