An ice storm threatened central Texas
on Monday, January 30th.
This is how it impacted our lives for two weeks;
the work to recover continues.
It's Monday
early morning
blood draw
some masked
some not
(I am)
Work day
temperatures dropping
afterschool cancelled
home office
online meetings
Now Tuesday
Ice starts
husband works
no school
work emails
texts sent
checking in
looking out
trees bending
hunkered down
It's Wednesday
Ice continues
husband home
no school
branches popping
power okay
(cautiously grateful)
warmer forecast
plans confirmed
loud noise
house shakes
open door
tree split
blocked porch
roof landing
plans cancelled
no internet
Overnight rain
couch sleep
damage worries
Thursday comes
no school
no work
more ice
insurance calls
power blinks
weather warms
roof okay
eaves ripped
gutter gone
no internet
help search
Now Friday
no school
no work
widespread damage
tree graveyard
power outages
(ours on)
find help
one fever
positive test
yard cleanup
couch sleep
It's Saturday
another fever
positive test
two sick
yard cleanup
texts sent
calls made
appointment made
couch sleep
Now Sunday
PCR test
tree clearing
all afternoon
large bill
tired bodies
tired minds
bed sleep
Monday comes
schools open
quarantine set
no work
stay home
yard cleanup
log piles
insurance adjuster
check cut
internet back
curbside groceries
Tuesday, finally
rest day
sleep in
virtual doc
take meds
self care
fever leaving
Wednesday, Thursday
at home
fever gone
night cough
little rest
no taste
no smell
laundry done
Friday's here
at work
feel numb
drift through
end of
two weeks
still recovering
more cleanup
to come.
Wow. What a terrible time! I am so sorry you have been going through all of this. The poetry here is amazing though - I love the form.
ReplyDeleteThank you! The form was borne of necessity--my brain was practically down to two word thoughts those weeks.
DeleteYikes! I'm so sorry you've had such a tough time. You really captured the unrelenting flood of stress from so many sources in this poem. I hope the tide has turned for the better!
ReplyDeleteThe debris has been cleaned up, though much of our neighborhood still has piles of brush waiting to be taken away, including our schools. Still working on getting the roof repaired and healing from COVID.
DeleteYour long poem with verses for days, and sticking to 2-word lines, really conveys the mood. Distress and also tedium, and never seeming to end as calamities keep adding on. Your poem also reminds us, viscerally, that these weather emergencies aren’t just a headline but the effects go on and on and last. “Couch sleep” is a line I particularly like. Hope you both are better and the damage is resolving.
ReplyDeleteImproving little by little each day, Fran. The event was triggering, bringing back a mashup of early pandemic days and the Snowmaggedon we had a couple years back. Not a fun way to start the month, for sure!
DeleteOh no! I’m so sorry your week has been like this - sickness and fever and damage. Great things are coming your way soon!
ReplyDeleteWe're hoping this is just taking care of the "bad stuff" for 2023 all in one fell swoop, Dr. Johnson!
DeleteI love the way this reads, but I’m sorry for the struggle of those weeks!
ReplyDeleteThank you! There were many that were worse off than us--one friend was without power for over a week!
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