\n
THE TORN, TATTERED AMERICAN FLAG LIES ON MY<\/p>\n
NEIGHBOR\u2019S\u00a0 DECK NEXT TO THE TWISTED SECTIONS OF<\/p>\n
METAL THAT ONCE WERE HIS GUTTER.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
TORRENTS OF WATER GUSHED THRU THE ROOF, THE\u00a0 STEADY<\/p>\n
DRIPPING OF\u00a0\u00a0WHICH I CAN STILL HEAR BETWEEN THE<\/p>\n
SHEETROCK AND STUDS.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
PEEKING THRU THE REMNANTS OF RIPPED<\/p>\n
ROOFING\u00a0SHINGLES , ARE THE RAFTERS AND\u00a0JOISTS, EXPOSED<\/p>\n
TO A\u00a0SUN AND SKY THEY NEVER SAW BEFORE.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
THE REAR ROOF,\u00a0 RISING FOUR FEET UP THE RIDGE LINE,<\/p>\n
WAS\u00a0TORN OFF FROM\u00a0\u00a0ONE END OF THE HOME TO THE OTHER.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
AROUND THE CORNER, CARS\u00a0 LAY CRUSHED BY TREES THAT<\/p>\n
HAD STOOD PROUD\u00a0 FOR\u00a0\u00a0GENERATIONS,\u00a0 NOW RENT UP BY<\/p>\n
THE ROOTS AND LAY LIKE FALLEN\u00a0\u00a0SOLDIERS ON A<\/p>\n
BATTLEFIELD.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
THE MUSTY ODOR OF MUD, DUST, WATER AND ROOTS SMELLS<\/p>\n
DIFFERENT FROM\u00a0\u00a0ANYTHING I HAVE\u00a0 INHALED –<\/p>\n
AND\u00a0LINGERS IN\u00a0 MY LUNGS.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
OUR LANDSCAPE AND\u00a0 OUR HOMES\u00a0 HAVE BEEN<\/p>\n
TRANSFORMED\u00a0 INTO\u00a0SOMETHING THAT IS SURREAL AND<\/p>\n
UNRECOGNIZABLE.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
THE BEWILDERMENT AND REALIZATION THAT A TORNADO<\/p>\n
CAN CAUSE SUCH\u00a0DEVASTATION –\u00a0 IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE —<\/p>\n
UNTIL ONE IS WITNESS TO IT.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
BUT JUST AS MY NEIGHBOR RAISES THE AMERICAN FLAG AND<\/p>\n
SECURES IT IN\u00a0THE BRACKET — SO WILL OUR TOWN RISE AND<\/p>\n
RESTORE ITSELF,<\/p>\n
STRONGER THAN BEFORE.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE TORN, TATTERED AMERICAN FLAG LIES ON MY NEIGHBOR\u2019S\u00a0 DECK NEXT TO THE TWISTED SECTIONS OF METAL THAT ONCE WERE HIS GUTTER. TORRENTS OF WATER GUSHED THRU THE ROOF, THE\u00a0 STEADY DRIPPING OF\u00a0\u00a0WHICH I CAN STILL HEAR BETWEEN THE SHEETROCK AND STUDS. PEEKING THRU THE REMNANTS OF RIPPED ROOFING\u00a0SHINGLES , ARE THE RAFTERS … Continue reading TWISTED<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured-posting","category-poetry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s7zCq3-twisted","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":320,"url":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/2016\/07\/23\/what-happened-out-back\/","url_meta":{"origin":1050,"position":0},"title":"What Happened Out Back- Part 1","author":"Kathy Follett","date":"July 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0The South Onnamaqua police rescue team responding to a call on September 8 discovered a local resident up to her neck in what was described as wet mulch after an accident on her property at 11 Breakfront St.\u00a0 Sheila Redmond (47) said she had\u00a0been hosing leaves off her barn when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fiction"","block_context":{"text":"Fiction","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/category\/fiction\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Onnamaqua Herald-Gazette","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/studioandroid7142016-035.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/studioandroid7142016-035.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/studioandroid7142016-035.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/studioandroid7142016-035.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/studioandroid7142016-035.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/studioandroid7142016-035.jpg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":626,"url":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/2016\/09\/18\/my-old-house\/","url_meta":{"origin":1050,"position":1},"title":"My Old House","author":"Joe Lobel","date":"September 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 This old, weather beaten brick house beckons us. I slide my fingers along the crumbly mortar joints, Watching as it\u2019s flakes fall like pixie dust, to the ground. The faded, red fa\u00e7ade, having faced decades of Harsh winters and simmering summers, Slowly reveals the soul of a humble home,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/category\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"android09182016-041","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/android09182016-041-1024x736.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":689,"url":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/2016\/11\/25\/woodlawn\/","url_meta":{"origin":1050,"position":2},"title":"Woodlawn","author":"Joe Lobel","date":"November 25, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 IT ALWAYS \u00a0AMAZES \u00a0ME \u00a0HOW \u00a0THE \u00a0COLD, \u00a0IRON \u00a0 GATES OF \u00a0WOODLAWN CEMETERY BECKONS AS \u00a0WE \u00a0PASS \u00a0BY \u00a0THE \u00a0GRAY, \u00a0BLEAK, \u00a0STONE \u00a0MAIN \u00a0OFFICE, \u00a0THE MAUSELEUMS \u00a0GREET \u00a0US \u00a0ON \u00a0THE \u00a0RIGHT. BUT \u00a0THEN, \u00a0WE \u00a0SEEMINGLY \u00a0ENTER \u00a0ANOTHER \u00a0WORLD, \u00a0ALMOST \u00a0LIKE WE \u00a0ENTERED HEAVEN \u00a0ITSELF! FOR \u00a0HERE, \u00a0IN \u00a0THIS \u00a0MORBID\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/category\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"joes-woodlawn-003","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/joes-woodlawn-003-1024x637.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":204,"url":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/2016\/07\/10\/pitter-patter\/","url_meta":{"origin":1050,"position":3},"title":"Pitter Patter","author":"Joe Lobel","date":"July 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"THE PITTER PATTER OF JAKE\u2019S PAWS ON THE HARDWOOD FLOORS, SHOCKS ME BACK TO REALITY FROM WHERE MY MIND REVIEWS THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF ENDLESS IMAGES THAT WEAVE THE YEARS OF MY\u00a0 LIFE TOGETHER IN TAWDRY FASHION. THE COUNTLESS BIRTHDAY PARTIES, CHRISTMASES, EASTERS AND RELIGIOUS BENCHMARKS ALL ASSIMILATE INTO A MAZE\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/category\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"note 4 july1016 126","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/note-4-july1016-126-300x169.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":859,"url":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/2017\/04\/17\/her-land\/","url_meta":{"origin":1050,"position":4},"title":"Her Land","author":"Christine Bexley","date":"April 17, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"*Originally written for Pawling Public Radio's \"America the Beautiful\" poetry presentation \u00a0 I lay on the land, grass tickling bare toes. Descendants of descendants of descendants of the first ants to explore the soil steadily tiptoe over ancient rock and me. Crow caws, reminding me to remember the time before\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/category\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/P1010968-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1324,"url":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/2020\/05\/22\/covid-diary-tanka-variations-early-may-2020\/","url_meta":{"origin":1050,"position":5},"title":"Covid Diary, Tanka variations, Early May 2020","author":"Elisabeth Frischauf","date":"May 22, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"1 New York Pause Red on red a cardinal flies into the red maple stop sign red signals STOP!\u00a0 I am stress tsunami down, red on red stopped summon ancient forces: baby, fire, cannon, crocodile breath, OM.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A sigh all I can manage. 2 Social Distance Birds have their own\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/category\/poetry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"10292017 galaxy 077","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/10292017-galaxy-077-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1050"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1064,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1050\/revisions\/1064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wordpress.talesfromthelake.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Joe-Ls-photo-editted-300x134.jpg?resize=474%2C212\")
<\/p>\n