Unfortunate Turn of Events
No one saw it coming.
Hills. Valleys. Bluffs.
They’re not conducive to tornadoes.
Technology changes everything,
showed this one developing.
And so it came.
Middle of the night.
Sirens wailing.
Cars and houses sailing.
Walls in pieces.
Roofs gone.
Ours still over our head.
Close enough to go down
to the corner and see
the damage. Feel lucky.
It’s said they turn
counterclockwise.
This one twisted right past us.
A tornado passed within a mile of our home last night, causing extensive damage in Jefferson City, Missouri. Several homes and businesses were destroyed. There were injuries, but no fatalities.
Image source: fox2now.com – aerial photos of damage
& screenshot of local news
rivrvlogr 
Catastrophic weather, stay safe!
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Thank you, Holly.
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I’ve been seeing the terrible results of this disaster, hearts going out to everyone affected.
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Been worrying about you and others around the midwest and south. Looks like it has been worse this year. Keep yourselves safe.
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Will do. Thanks, Daniel.
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Glad you’re okay! The poem is great – perfect title!
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Thank you, Lynne!
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Such a frightening experience and glad to hear you’re safe Ken. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected 💞💜💞
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Thank you, Xenia.
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glad you and your family escaped……I like the poem, the language is simple direct and immediate..JIM
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Thank you. I’m a relative newcomer to the Midwest, so this is a foreign animal to me. I’m glad I didn’t get to meet it up close.
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Oh, so glad you were spared the physical damage. That close, you cannot escape the impact to others vibrating outward. My prayers to all concerned. Friends in Abilene were hit a few days back. The “winds of change” are on a tear in 2019.
Poetic skills superb here … “Sirens wailing. / Cars and houses sailing” … must’ve been a LOUD few minutes!
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Thank you, Jazz.
This came just before midnight. With a couple of systems within 40 miles of here during late evening showing rotation on radar, and then sightings, this got the least attention and seemed to fade away. An hour later, we woke to sirens and phone alerts that reminded us you can’t count on anything, where weather is concerned.
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I’m glad you are all right. I was wondering. My sister also lives in Missouri (ditto she is ok too). When I was a child in Tennessee a tornado went through our neighborhood. Our house was untouched but several a block away were destroyed. I’ll never forget the sight of a one-story ranch home completely bisected by the twister – the middle rubble, the two ends standing as if nothing had happened. It stays with you, the feelings these storms bring. I will keep my fingers crossed for your continued safety.
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Thank you, Claudia. There’s a fair amount of damage, but none in our neighborhood. Some people definitely are homeless after this. Impressive and tragic at the same time.
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I was wondering about you with this crazy weather. I’m so glad you, your wife, and your home are OK. We’re getting storms now and tonight–hopefully nothing like that.
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Thank you, Merril. It seems erratic weather is becoming the norm.
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Yes, it does.
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I’m so glad to hear that you and yours are okay, Ken.
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Thank you, Bob. Places I see on a regular basis now destroyed. It seems odd to think of distances and odds when it comes to good fortune, but there it is.
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It’s odd, and yet, as you say, there it is!
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Glad to hear no fatalities, enjoyed your response.
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Thank you. Considering the damage done, it’s surprising there were no lives lost. What to write about – our good fortune, the misfortune of others? Brevity seemed the way to go.
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And well said too.
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Glad you are safe
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Thank you, Elaine.
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so scary! glad you are okay; now the restoration begins.
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Thank you. Some of the homes are in a newly designated historic district and had been renovated. Community support has been outstanding.
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Amazing how people come together.
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I was just reading and looking at photos of this, the wind and the water…glad you all are OK. I remember watching tornados over Lake Erie from our house when I was very young…scary. (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe. I’ve never seen one, but I’ve heard boaters talk about water spouts, and guessing the direction they needed to avoid them. Open water gives no reference, and they said it was their scariest experience.
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It’s one of my most vivid memories of early childhood.
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Yikes! Glad you’re all right, Ken. Close call!
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Close enough! Thank you, Betty.
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