It*s hard to tell the difference

We left to take our daughter to camp out west to Oregon, Illinois, just as this morning*s storm broke. It was sunny and blue and hot in Oregon.  A huge statue of Sacajawea stands on the banks of the Rock River (or is it Mary?)(hard to tell).  As we drove home we began to see the trees down, huge swathes of suburb where electricity was out. We got home to find our home untouched, our trees safe, our house with electricity, the sun shining... almost as if nothing had happened, a few sticks on the lawn as reminders, if, of course, we allow ourselves to be reminded.  Sometimes we choose to forget.

We left town at the beginning

Of the worst of it,

Drove west and north

To blue sky,

Boats on the Rock River.

Sacajawea stood high

On the eastern bank

Or maybe it was Mary.

From a distance

It*s hard to tell the difference.

We returned through blinking red lights.

Limb after limb after limb

Littered the streets.

We arrived home finally

To full power,

Sun,

A few sticks on the lawn

As if two squirrels

Had been playing

In the backyard ash tree.