Tornado Watch Rumbles resound igniting a frisson of fear. Looking out the window all I see is fog as thick as a blizzard. No way to tell by sight if a whirling cloud’s approaching. Television beeps. Can I finish my coffee here at the table? A few minutes later rain tip taps then pounds our roof, as promised, threatened by the rumbles. I take a deep breath, choose to finish my coffee, mindful that last year a tornado crushed my friend’s neighborhood just a few miles away. I say a prayer that once again the watch will go unanswered. Just in case, I place two more flashlights with fresh batteries in our safe room. I know tornadoes can whirl through our lives without much or any warning.
Joan Leotta plays with words on page and stage. She performs tales featuring food, family, and strong women.. She’s a two-time Pushcart nominee, nominee for Best of the Net, and runner up in the 2022 Robert Frost Foundation Competition. Her newest chapbook, Feathers on Stone is from Main Street Rag.
Amethyst Review 