All the gods of lightning
Met in circle last night
Above my house --
Flashing their commentary
And objections to each other
"No-Yes-No-Yes ---
Take that! No, you take that!
Me-me-me-me-ME! I said ME!"
As my room lit up
Every other second, I smiled
That even the gods dispute
Each other, seemingly unaware
Of the cowering trees beneath ...
Of the bare-chested roof,
Exposed and Watching...
Their own fierce agenda blinded
To the rest.
A television was turned on
By a bolt within these rooms
As the rolling conference
Moved northwestward,
Away, still in hot converse.
This morning, I watched a catbird
Perching within the porch
Half-drenched, preening,
Shaking off the night...
I commented to him, "Rough time, eh?"
And he answered a resounding, "Yes!"
Before he flew off, pretending
We had never spoken.
~V
