CAUGHT

The morning dawned with a bright pink sky
but I didn’t heed the warning…
“Fair weather with a pink sunset
but storms, pink sky in the morning.”
I’d things to do but wasn’t in any hurry
as I meandered along the street
doing a little shopping and didn’t even notice
the turning of the leaves,
another warning, as I wandered in and out
of stores enjoying free time.
There were things I really ought to do
but I’d put those things out of mind.

I didn’t really want to do them.
I just wasn’t in the mood
and couldn’t settle down to working
even though I knew I should.

Dishes waited in the sink

but at least the bed was made,

I should do a load of laundry

but it is such a lovely day,

too nice for doing housework now

and I wanted to be outdoors,

maybe later, I’d do the dishes.

do the laundry, mop the floors.

Morning stretched past noon time
and I was still doing as I pleased
as storm clouds gathered on the hills
and there stirred a humid breeze.
Blue skies turned a sullen gray.
Two squirrels scurried up a tree
and disappeared among the branches
somewhere among the leaves.

The sun vanished behind the clouds
and then I heard a distant rumble.
My arms ladened with shopping bags
I fumble, almost stumbled
as I picked up my pace to hurry home,
all but scrambling down the street
among the lightning flashes,
as the wind whipped up and rain poured down
and the thunder roars and crashes.

Caught, not much more than five hundred feet
from shelter, the safety of my home
as rain poured down in buckets full
and soaked me to the bone
drenching me from head to toe,
an unexpected thunderstorm…

I’d ignored all of the warnings
avoiding chores I didn’t want to do,
I’d skipped out to steal some free time…
and then oh how the wind blew
as all around me lightning flashed
followed close by thunder’s roar
and I may have made a track record
getting home and through my door.

Dropping my soggy packages,
I stood dripping on my floor
and leaving puddles here and there
as I kicked off my shoes
and thought how my avoiding task
had made more chores to do.

“Oh God, that wasn’t funny,”
I said as I began to laugh,
“but I sure do appreciate the cooler air
and greening of the grass
that had turned a dusty brown
in the constant heat of summer sun…
and next time I’ll try to heed the warnings.
Caught in a storm isn’t much fun.