*image from here
FRIDAY 55
A little girl hovers close to her mother,
clinging as the lightning flashes.
Daddy enters the kitchen,
takes the girl's hand,
leads her to the back porch.
She settles on the step,
flanked by Daddy and dog.
Between her protectors
she watches bolts dance over cornfields
to the music of raindrops,
the rhythm of thunder.
DA COUNT
I didn't always like thunderstorms. They used to scare me but one of the untarnished happy memories of my Dad from childhood involved the setting above. If Daddy wasn't around I ran for cover when the thunder started but if he was there I felt safe and even enjoyed the show from the back porch theater. Eventual;y, I got to where I liked them whether he was there or not.
Mr. Lime likes to sit on the porch and watch them too so our kids have grown up enjoying them rather than fearing them. That's not to say we're going to stand out in a field holding a metal rod during a storm but from a safe vantage point we relish them.
It's been beastly hot the last couple of days and the AC in both the car and the house is dead. A nice thunderstorm rolled through and cooled things off so I am counting that and the happy memories they bring back.
26 comments:
One of my few good memories of my stepfather is sitting on the porch watching lightning with him.
I'm in my daughter's room right now because thunder and lightening was scaring her. Great 55.
55 Flash Fiction Friday: You Do Know
A very well put together snapshot of that moment in time, and it gives off that sense that wild lightning storms always seem to have of connection to a force that really is totally random and all powerful, yet lets us watch as long as we don't get too close. Always enjoy your 55's lime, and hope your AC is fixed soon. I would be in a coma without mine, I think.
NO AIR!!!!
Thats a travesty!!
Keep Kool Trini...
I loved your 55.
We had a West window in our house, and during every storm they both were glued to the Western sky.
Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End
Reading your poem, I think my life flashed before my eyes. Daddy used to sit me out on our screened in porch and tell me "flicker, flicker, flicker - bloom, bloom, bloom" during the lightening and thunder. I know what you mean, his being there made all the difference. Thank you. (I have to tell you too, I had just written that when my son turned to me and said he had 555 points in his video game. That number is special to us because 555 was the name of Daddy's business - wow how... timely?) Thank you, again.
My son and I watch thunderstorms, counting the beats between lightning and boom. I LOVE IT - great story. PS: My mom used to tell me it was "God bowling" when thunder struck and I was tiny - she took the fear right out of it with silliness like that!
I remember, when I was in jr-hi and high school, getting up in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm, and sitting by the picture window watching. Nowadays, whenever possible, we'll take the kids and go watch on the porch. There's something awesome about hearing the thunder roll across the entire sky. . .
I'm experiencing one of those thunderstorms right now! When I was little, I was petrified of them, and the dog and I would curl up at the bottom of the stairs to comfort each other. Now, I usually end up outside, in the barn during this type of weather!
mmm...i love watching a storm...and when you have those protectors it makes it easier to enjoy...nice 55...
I just love thunder and lightning. I love that you can feel the thunder and am in awe of the art of lightning.
I respect storms and like to watch - but only from a distance. My children all grew to love them because of their dad - who is fearless. This was a lovely 55. Comforting.
Good to see you all lit up - if only on a blog! LOL
That's a nice poem and a nice thought Michelle. Like you I believe that if you can turn scary things into fun for children it will remove their fear - Dave
What a beautiful 55. I love how humans and animals can make our fears go away.
We used to sit and count, from lightening flash, to roll of thunder. That was how far/near the storm was. That always made it fun.
Adore the last two lines. Loving music, it's no real suprise they speak so loudly to me.
When I was a kid, a drenching rainstorm meant that every child on our block would run indoors, strip down, put on a bathing suit, then run outdoors again and dance in the rain. Thunder? Lightning? They were just added value! Of course, now I have more sense and don't have nearly as much fun.
I have loved storms for as long as I can remember ... never could figure out just why. Maybe my dad had something to do with it!
As a child I always hid under the old oak dining table between the lion's feet. My mom would slide a plate with cookies between my rubber toed sneakers.
Now when it thunders... I can almost smell the cookies!
i got caught in one as a wee lad and was deathly afraid of them for awhile. but now i love them. sat on the porch last night and watched a massive cloud to cloud light show. wonderous.
Good, solid poem.
Can mr lime come over and teach Prof Shorty the "coolness" of storms. I have one terrified little shorty over here. :(
I love storms, but I think we've just had too many tornados for our liking over here. ;)
--snow
Oooooo. I love this post. It makes me happy. :)
I grew up loving thunderstorms and now my kids love them too. It is so wonderful sitting on the porch watching the lightening dance and anticipating the big booming thunder. :)
I just had to tell you how much I liked your photo! And to invite you to my new hole. (aka ananda girl)
Out in a high meadow in the Basses Alpes with youngest daughter when thunder rolled over us like a series of drums. 'Sing, mama' she shouted, 'Sing it away.' And we did, all the way home.
Nothing like 2 protectors to watch nature's beautiful fury with.
xoxo
There's more than water in the rain cloud.
More than lightning flashing bright.
More than thunder clapping so loud.
More than these which brings delight.
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