He hears,
Raging,
Howling,
Thunderous bellowing.
He feels,
Slamming,
Wet,
Splashing,
On eyes and face.
He sees,
Bright lights
Flashing behind his eyes,
Sudden darkness.
The sound of sirens,
Screaming.
He awakens in an ambulance,
Remembers the savage beating
He endured
At the hands of an abusive father
When the storm came.
_
Linda Imbler is the author of the published poetry collection “Big Questions, Little Sleep.” Her work has been published by Fine Flu Journal, Bunbury Magazine, Blognostics, Nailpolish Stories, Broad River Review Literary Magazine, Mad Swirl, Ascent Aspirations: Friday’s Poems, Unbroken Journal, The Voices Project and GloMag. New poems are forthcoming in Leaves of Ink, Halcyon Days, Zingara and The Beautiful Space. Online, she can be found at lindaspoetryblog.blogspot.com. This writer, yoga practitioner, and classical guitar player resides in Wichita, Kansas.