IT HIT IN THE SPRING OF 1969

IT HIT IN THE SPRING OF 1969
inspired by a vivid weather event

Rogue winds chased, and we embraced
         under the basement stairs.
By windows insulation flew, heavy gliders were tossed askew
         while terror reined in afternoon nightmares.

Stadium poles, torn from their holes
         and broken like mere tinker toys.
Elementary school rooms, lay empty in ruins,
         that weekend without girls and boys.

We saw it coming, car narrowly outrunning
         winds pummeling us onward that day.
Dad dared not believe, crazed tales women weave ~
         yet a tornado stormed through our town on Sunday.

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Written in the Triquatrain form of poetry created by Robert L. Huntsman -- a quatrain poem in tri-rhyme with a specific rhyming pattern as follows:

         Verse 1:  line 1 - a,a; line 2 - b; line 3 - c,c; line 4 - b
         Verse 2:  line 1 - d,d; line 2 - e; line 3 - f,f; line 4 - e
         Verse 3:  line 1 - g,g; line 2 - h; line 3 - i,i; line 4 - h ...and so on.

Lines 1 and 3 of each verse have internal rhyme, whereas lines 2 and 4 do not.  The lines with internal rhyme are separated by a comma.