Sirens

A Hometown Poem

Awakened by sirens,
we run to the basement,
groggy with sleep,
seeking shelter
in the cool damp.

It is still dark,
but through the basement windows
I can see the storm raging,
rain pelting,
wind howling,
trees bent nearly to the ground,
branches thrashing.

I fumble with the remote,
trying to find the weather channel.
The sirens grow louder.

Once, siren meant
the song that called sailors
toward danger,
sweet and irresistible.

I want to stand by the window
and watch the weather,

feel the tempest,
the thunder,
the turning wind.

Tornado.
From thunder,
from turning,
from twisting.

The suspense is maddening.

The sirens call to me,
not to hide,

to stand for one moment
inside the wild turning
of the world.

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Invitations and Announcements

I’d love to invite you to an art show on Thursday, September 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Liz Lidgett Gallery, 2921 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines. I’ll be showing paintings, pastel drawings and sculpture. I hope you’ll stop by, see the work and say hello. If you can’t make it to the opening or are not local, the exhibit will be up during September.

Thursday, September 3 | 4–6 p.m.
Liz Lidgett Gallery
2921 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines
Light bites and drinks

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“BEST SELLER” POETRY BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT! My recently released poetry collection, You Were Never Lost: Poems from the Tallgrass Prairie, continues to be on the top list in the “Death/Grief/Loss” poetry category. Thank you for your many notes sharing what the poems have meant to you.

WHERE TO GET THE BOOK: The book is available locally through Beaverdale Booksand through major online booksellers, including Amazon and Goodreads.

REVIEWS REQUESTED! And if you do read it, one of the kindest things you can do for an independent author is leave a short review on Amazon or Goodreads. To leave a review, simply go to the book’s page on Amazon or Goodreads, click on “Write a Review” or “Rate and Review,” and share a few sentences about what resonated with you. It does not need to be long or formal. Even a few sentences helps other readers discover the book.

EVENTS: If you know of events focused on this topic or groups who might find this collections of interest, please let me know.

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