She hung her laundry in the rain

carefully pinning sheets to the line

as the wind initiated a tug of war



The storm raged that afternoon

with brush tumbling across the lawn

and trees leaning, almost snapping



She did not hear the noise of thunder rolling above

She did not see the lightning illuminating the dark skies

She did not feel the downpours soaking her skin



When she was done, she returned to her tidy kitchen

and smashed every vintage teacup on the old linoleum floor

before her knees crumpled beneath her



Wiping her tears with trembling hands

she reached for the letter on the old farm table

that began with “We regret to inform you…”







photo:  US Adjutant-General [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons



prompt: threewordsaday.wordpress.com/2015/08/22/20150822-day-234