All are safely gathered in

Now it comes:  the ice storm.   One hundred percent here, though I suspect it will not play out the catastrophic proportions in the forecast.  The family has returned home, earlier than I expected.  It seems a sleepover is planned.  Surprise: no school tomorrow.  A teacher institute day.  Nothing to do with the weather.

All are safely gathered in:

My loved ones.

It seems we will now be hosting

A sleepover

In the midst of ice.

I listen to the rain

Upstairs

Against the windows.

Now I wait for a phone call.

It may come

Or not.

I suspect the crisis

Of yesterday morning

May have subsided

By now.

Still I wait.

I listen to the rain.

I practice calm

With the cat,

My loved ones safely

Gathered in,

Honey vanilla chamomile tea

In hand,

Rain on the window.