In the midst of my broken home
by Ryan Langan
“We never seen such destruction in our lives.”
I drove through the ruined neighborhood
scattered debris, broken pines;
the smell of turpentine, natural gas leaks, sewage gas;
burning fires and ozone assaulting the nose.
scattered lights as friends, strangers, children
searching for scattered souls
buried underneath broken splinters of previous lives.
wondering in your mind how many
of your circles, lines, and bonds are being
affected as you wondering if
home is now a debris field scattered across
multiple counties.
“We never knew that such mercy comes from such horribleness”
We crawl around on our bellies
looking for hands outreached and heartbeats hurt
but not giving up on being found
by someone looking for their heartbeats.
We did not give on finding one another
safe, miraclously saved by some quirk, their home
unscathed by the finger of god’s horrible
wraith
The phone calls, emails, posters
all beseeching attention to let families, friends, community
know that are still with us
not ruined.
“From the sky you can see the path of devastation still.”
The fingers of dead pine have ruined the landscape
kudzoo creeping all the time through
horribly vacate areas scattered through
towns and counties.
I am wondering if the Blue Trap and 9/11 Flags
will live together
blowing tattered in the wind long
after their need and time.
I hear of more friends leaving altogether;
saying that this one more way of this place killing us?