why thunder storms hold appeal

why thunder storms hold
appeal must begin
in childhood, when
trees loom larger
thunder booms louder

and so we run for cover
more excitably- running
home with a storm cloud
growing greyer in the sky
my running in sandals,

through puddles splashing
running with all the faith
of the western wind to bring me
back to dry safety- at dusk
when all the families on my block

were beginning to orchestrate dinner
barbeques cancelled- tablecloths
and table settings quickly brought
indoors for a make shift meal
of zuchini and sweet corn omelette

thick slabs of ruby red beef steak tomatoes,
oozing the flavor of mid summer
we dine accompanied with still
the sounds of the rain, the wind
now having died down....we take

our time to talk about
our warm sunny days
as if they were strung out
like an opal necklace stretched
from the rocky north shore beach

connecting to the other side of
the now warm august harbor
we, celebrants- rolling
with the changes- cheering
each rain drop as being

no different than that single
opal bead, which would shine,
by sunset- sky clearing--
one day in the life
of a storm cloud

words/photo~kate lamberg (c) '15