When Words are Cheap

The storm snuck in overnight
leaving behind severed limbs
among a bird nest of power lines
where once straight arms and legs had been.

A few hours of untangling the
dangling cords won’t go together.
By noon, we still have no source.
the nagging sound of mother’s voice

forever to be severed.

There’s no rush to unraveling
aeroelastic flutters, with
juice enough to start a heart, and
lines we wind but can't restart.

Morning coffee in the gutter 
brings scalding news:
in order for some to survive,
we had to let the others loose.

Cover Art: Photoraph of utility workers fix an electricity pole in the aftermath of an earthquake. A series of major earthquakes have reportedly killed at least 78 people, injured dozens more and destroyed many homes. The earthquakes, the biggest measuring 7.1 magnitude, hit the areas around Ishikawa, Toyama and Niigata in central Japan.

Photograph: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

6 responses to “When Words are Cheap”

Michele Lee

Subtle and striking. I admire how you reframe turbulence and tragedies into fine poetry.

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1. K.F. Hartless
  
  Thank you, Michele. I was catching up on current events, and this image just seemed to encapsulate so many different horrific things happening. I appreciate your comment very much.
  
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beth

very powerful words and quite symbolic

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1. K.F. Hartless
  
  Thanks, Beth. This photograph sort of gave me the vehicle to speak about the unspeakable. I appreciate your comment very much.
  
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Colleen Chesebro

I just read today the earthquake in Japan was so strong it moved the coastline of Japan. I like how you used the power lines as a symbol for our connectivity.

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K.F. Hartless

Thank you, Colleen. Yes, the earthquakes there have been intense lately. I think these power lines sort of gave me permission to speak on things, even though I’m not an expert.

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