in case

hurricane matthew will hit south florida later today as a category 4 hurricane. we are ready....and waiting.

i am adding this the morning after the night before.......we are safe.  we did not lose electricity and we had minimal rain and wind.  we were incredibly lucky!!!!

“in case” you say?

 

this is a lesson in logic and stoicism

an exercise in patience and endurance

(he who has the most gallons of water wins)

i mean at least jim cantore is 150 miles

north of where I sit

in my hurricane-shuttered house

 

provisional measures in place

cautionary supplies line up like tin soldiers

marching to a tune i can’t quite name

sloshing through watery thoughts

threatening to drown me

i take in a full breath of darkness

inhaling memories of other candle-lit vigils

david, andrew, frances, and wilma

and now you, matthew

but you don’t scare me

well, maybe a little

so just "in case"…..

 

Author's Note

posting this while we still have electricity...this will not last.

Reviews

[Einstein Noodle]

wow! i am so glad you are OK Lydia .. i can only imagine the feelings and thoughts that whipped your mind and heart as much as Mathew perhaps .. love your wrap up :) you are certainly a trained warrior .. i agree with barleygirl .. very straight forward and smooth read
E.

[Lydia Shutter]

Thank you so much, E. We were very fortunate Matthew spared us. Living in South Florida, we always know there is a threat during hurricane season. Lydi**

[barleygirl]

I love this nicely realistic message that's still ringing true to your lyrical style. It's hard to fathom an excess of rain when we here in California haven't had a rain in 5 years that wet the soil deeper than 1 inch down. But I do remember, many years ago, when we braced for bad storms & all the excitement that goes with it. It's kinda fun in a weird scary way. You've captured that perfectly in your ending lines. Thanks for sharing how the other half (the wet ones) live! *smile* (((HUGS)))

[Lydia Shutter]

We were so fortunate Matthew left us alone, but it is always important to be ready. Yes, you are in a terrible drought and we have more than enough rain here. Wish we could send you some. Thanks for the review, Margie. Lydi**

[Sanober]

Omg I heard! Thank goodness you are safe, Lydi! So glad to know you have electricity. I've been watching the news and seeing all the photos, the damage is beyond devastating! it is a huge relief to see your poem here like a beacon of light. it breaks my heart to see the hurricane disrupt this beautiful state and its beautiful people. stay safe, my friend. you are in my prayers.

[Lydia Shutter]

Sanober! I am always so happy to see a review from you, sweet friend. Thank you very much. We were so fortunate here. Lydi**

[redzone]

I knew those "tin soldiers" all lined up would protect you Lydi.... for course it was you who gave them the pep talk to man their posts....

now that Matthew has calmed down, I was happy to learn you were okay and were spared a more direct hit... but he did do much damage including taking a few several dozen lives with him as he travelled...

having lived through and seen the effects of Sandy, hurricanes are nasty things... up here in NYC we get more the nor'easter snow storms than those hurricane creatures.... so think we might get some of your "luck" this winter??? lol... hurricanes are monsters so I won't give them a "nice" but for patience and endurance.. very "nice"...

redzone

[Lydia Shutter]

Jacksonville and St. Augustine had so much damage in Florida. The Carolinas will take months to recover. Worst of all, so many lives were lost in Haiti. Hurricanes are killers, no doubt about it. I know Noreasters can be just as brutal. We were so very lucky we got away with it this time. Yes, those tin soldiers obeyed my orders....good thing for them! :) Thanks for the great review, Curt. Lydi**

[Papaya]

I was there during Andrew. My father and I were visiting my sister who was living in Miami at the time.
Very scary. I hope you are safe. I guess you get used to it and know what you need to do to stay safe?

[Lydia Shutter]

Andrew was a horrible storm...and Wilma too. We are used to it, but it is still scary. This time we were so very lucky. Thank you, Ana. Lydi**

[Paul Bell]

Well done Lydia, you're a trooper.

[Lydia Shutter]

No choice when you live in South Florida. thanks, Paul. Lydi**

[Paul Bell]

I'll be there next year. Could you keep it calm.

[Lydia Shutter]

If I can, I will! Where are you planning to vacation?

[Paul Bell]

August at the moment, though i hear it's real warm at that time.

[Lydia Shutter]

And you are going to be in Fort Lauderdale or Miami? Yes, August is brutally hot though it is 93 out there today. We really don't get a break from the heat till the beginning of November and even then it is warm.

[Paul Bell]

Is there a month where it's around 60 degrees

[Lydia Shutter]

NEVER! :) We might have a few days like that scattered through November and December.

[Paul Bell]

Ok Lydi, thanks.

[Lyn Anderson]

First off, on a personal note, glad you are safe. Second, the fear of the unknown, in case of waiting for natural disaster, is incredibly unnerving. Good that you have your family, and your poetry, to keep you grounded. A very real and insightful write.

[Lydia Shutter]

This one really scared me. The meteorologists were saying people would die from storm surges and that we had not seen one this bad in twenty years. Fortunately, my area was spared, but other areas of the US were not so lucky....not to mention Haiti! Thank you very much, KL. Lydi**

[1VJ]

Breathing darkness is quite scary stuff. Glad you're all fine.

'provisional measures in place
cautionary supplies line up like tin soldiers'

Favorite line. Happy to know your tin soldiers didn't all fall down.

[Lydia Shutter]

We were exceptionally fortunate. Thanks for the review, Paloma. Lydi**

[Ardra]

glad to know you are safe.... may god bless all those who are in this situation....

[Lydia Shutter]

thank you, Ria. Many were not as fortunate as I was. Lydi**

[Gee]

Glad to read you are well......Enjoyed reading of your plight, doesn't sound right me saying that, but I did.

[Lydia Shutter]

I am pleased you read my words. Thanks, Gee. Lydi**