No Calm Before the Storm

Poem by: guff01

Reads: 378 | Likes: 0 | Shelves: 0 | Comments: 4

This one is based on an experience I had that involvd being in a tornado. It was scary as hell, but I also figured it would make as a good piece of writing.

Overcast cool day in May. Mildly pleasant. Fairly nice weather to work in. Almost time to take a lunch break. Wind slowly starts to pick up. Then it picks up even more. Gusts reach 20-30 miles per hour. Light rain begins to fall. Go into the shop. Rain gets fatter. Rain falls more heavily. Sky remains clouded. Thick grayish white clouds, but non-threatening. Then they darken. Wind blows even harder. Rain evolves to hail. Pea-sized hail. Golf ball sized hail. Loud thump here. Big bang there. Lets up a little. Then comes with force again. Phone rings. Get in the truck. Baseball sized hail. Deafening slams on the hood. On the roof. Threatening black sky on all sides. Stop lights out. Huge ominous black wall closing in. Softball sized hail. Tornado. Step on it. Park at Town Hall. Get out and run. Furious wind. Huge round ice chunks. Get in the basement. People crowded against the wall. Power out. Emergency flasher lights on. building alarm blasting. Tornado closes in. Everybody get down. Tornado rips over. Blinding lightning. Pressure drops. Booming sounds everywhere. Tornado passes. Stay down. Minutes pass. Safe to come out. Go outside. Annihilation everywhere. Everything destroyed. No calm before the storm. No calm today.

Submitted: November 13, 2008

Action and Adventure weather event altered

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Comments

KatieGurtis

I disagree with Allison. I live in Nebraska and we have our fair share of tornados. I think the choppiness of this piece helps to evoke the feeling of a tornado. That feeling being terror. (And usually wet.) Nicely done.

Sat, December 27th, 2008 5:43am

Author
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Thank you very much. But the feeling in this piece certainly cannot capture how scared I really was that day. Thanks for your comment

Sat, December 27th, 2008 11:22am

Gentlespirit

This piece starts kind of slowly and its pace quickens. Your words and phrases written as they are, drive the piece forward and ensure the reader is right there with you in the horror of all that it means to be quite afraid.

I have been in a similar situation in NC when something quite like this occurred. Scary stuff indeed.

I liked.

Tue, January 20th, 2009 10:15am

Author
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Glad you could relate to what I was going for. That makes the read more understandable if the reader can follow right along. Im glad you liked it, and yes it was scary

Tue, January 20th, 2009 10:57am

Midnight Rose

Wow! Terryfying! But I loved the way you start out so normally describing what could be another normal day and then it changes into total chaos with the effects of the tornado. Beautfully done!

Wed, January 28th, 2009 3:32pm

Author
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Believe me writing about this does not capture how terrifying it really was. I appreciate you reading

Wed, January 28th, 2009 9:26am

Anastasia Starlena

I grew up in a trailer house. I remember a tornado that came through so terrifying. My mom put us in the bathtub with a mattress over our head. Pretty scary stuff. Another well written piece.
I think I have given you enough work for the night. lol
Thank you so very much. I like to read work I am fond of.

Take Care,
Ana

Sat, March 14th, 2009 5:05am

Author
Reply

Thank you for commenting on this. This really did happen to me. We had an F3 tornado go through our town last year. It was the most scared I've been in my life. It was very traumatic. It was beyond scary. Thanks for the read