The sky was a navy blanket,
Swallowing the sunshine
The lighting a dagger
Slashing the fabric of darkness

The night roared in protest
Sobbed torrents of tears
But the blade reduced reason
To tatters of fear

From my window-perch haven
I thought myself secure
I’d stay dry and warm
And somehow endure

But with each laceration
Thunder crashed again
And as my foundations rattled
My certainty waned


Growing nearer and stronger
Fire scorched the night sky
And daytime’s sweet glow
Turned harsh, marred, and vile

Lightning split my window
Into a web of shards
Strewn upon the tile floor and
Hidden in the dark

Each piece became a looking glass
Reflecting different scenes
Their only commonality:
Distorted as extreme

Insistent gales hastened
The inevitable deluge
My “invincible” shield
Dampened, dripped, and drooped

And when the shredded sheet fell
To end the storm’s reign
The only remnants were cinders
Of the victims defamed