Forecast: Stormy Weather  by Nancy Schatz Alton

After the storm, I am calm.

 

After the storm: I grow tired of writing about the storm.

 

After the storm, people in the middle of the storm call me.

 

After the storm: I listen to people in the storm.

 

After the storm, I know I can’t prevent other people’s storms.

 

Tell people what you know. Help them to know so they don’t get drenched.

 

We are wet from the storm.

 

I am drying myself off. I pass the towel back to you. Dry your tears.

 

You make me coffee. Find the store-bought cookies.

 

There are tears.

 

The storm.

 

There’s no after the storm.

 

We are in the storm.

 

Here’s a towel.

 

It’s all I have.

 

I’m dry enough to see you in the storm.

 

The storm continues.

 

We are in for stormy weather.

 

Your dog plays with my rain boots.

 

Wet rain boots.

 

For the storm.

 

There is no after the storm.

 

Storm watching: I am up for being in the storm with you.

 

Storm.

 

Storm.

 

I no longer feel the rain.

 

I like the rain.

 

This is our rain.

 

When we are together, the rain cleanses us.

 

Storm. Within the Storm. Storm.