Ike in Fort Bend

My company shut down early
Big storm swirls in our sea
Buy more water on the way home
Pick up chairs so deck free.

Put everything in the garage.
That night we made love
Friday morning dawned calm and clear,
only a few clouds above.

We waited in line for plywood.
Work steady, care and fear,
cutting, boarding up the windows.
Immense Ike now comes near.

Wind picks up, becoming breezy.
Now done, power went out;
no TV, AC or hot meal.
Back on, but filled with doubt

We eat and shower, settle in
TV and on the net
watch storm – satellite then radar
To bed, no landfall yet

Flashlight on nightstand just in case
Strong wind and lots of rain,
The wind howled, rattled old pool shell
Our power gone again

Next morning wet, find fences down,
big tree branches not whole.
Roof intact, house and yard unharmed,
bungee mailbox to pole.

Drag out, gas up generator
Keep our food and drink cool
Charging neighbor’s cell phones
Help each other is the rule

TV at night see how it is
Sit outside in the shade,
Make small coffee pot in morning
That’s how these days are played.

Images of Galveston and Bolivar
All the news about Ike
Location of PODS for water and such
Stories are all alike

Text message says office is open.
Roads tied up, signals don’t work.
Half hour trip now drags out to two
Drivers good, hardly a jerk

Each evening some more clumps of lights,
our house stays hot and dark.
I bring home food from open place,
no need to start a spark

Blue FEMA tarps on many roofs,
newer houses hit worse.
700 billion bailout,
now worry about purse.

Power finally back at our house
Order returns on streets
Life starts to come back to normal
We make love ‘neath cool sheets

Debris piles still sit by the streets,
Heap until take later
Blue roof tarps slow to go away
Some remain one year after.

Trigger #34, Form T (Ballad)