THIRTEEN WAYS OF LOOKING AT A HURRICANE

By Ben Greenman

Apologies to Wallace Stevens and everyone.

I.

In a season of bad weather,

The only moving thing

Was the eye of the hurricane.

II.

I was of three minds

Of how to beat it,

Denial, paper towels, or nukes.

III.

The hurricane whirled over the summer ocean.

It was a large part of the weather map.

IV.

A man and a woman 

Are one.

A man and a woman and a hurricane

Are one.

V.

I do not know which to prefer

The beauty of destruction 

Or the beauty of disaster management,

The hurricane gusting

Or just after.

VI.

Streaks of rain in the window

Give the sense of shatter.

The shadow of the hurricane

Crossed it, to and fro.

The mood

Traced in the shadow

Terror and loss.

VII.

O thin men and women of meteorology,

Why do you speak about the climate?

Do you not see how the hurricane

Can be beaten by paper towels

Or by a nuclear bomb?

VIII.

I know paper towels are

The best and most absorbent;

But I know, too,

That I control the nukes.

Isn’t that exciting?

IX.

When the hurricane flew out of sight

It went as it came

In a symphony of circles.

X.
At the sight of hurricanes

Looming in a bruised light,

I tried to put

My finger on the button.

XI.

It wasn’t my first choice

Like I said before.

Once, I threw paper towels

In Puerto Rico.

People caught them

Lovingly.

XII.

The paper towels in the air

Go in a straight windless line.

XIII.

It was evening all afternoon.

The light stepped down.

And it was going to rain.

The nuke came in

Whistling its helpful song.