Standing under the porch roof
I aimed my camera
and tried to catch a lightening bolt

I failed, though I saw five of them
— lack of faith, perhaps,
in my ability, or in the likelihood
that it would strike again

Wind brought the smell of rain
(though it rained little)
and relief, if for the moment,
from the sultry stillness
and the thickness
of the thunder-laden air

To have a roof over our heads
is cause for gratitude,
which marks how far we’ve come
and gives a standpoint from which
we can receive more.

©Wendy Mulhern
September 5, 2019