Saturday, August 16, 2014

Infinitely deep absolutely untroubled


I am driving my step-father
through a neighborhood
old Austin maybe
trying to find an address
a house where I once lived
or meeting someone
late afternoon
but intensely overcast
he and I are talking
about how low the clouds are
a strange siren sounds
Jerry asks me what it could be for
at first I don't know
but then I realize
it is a tornado siren
just then close by
between the houses and trees
as we drive
I see the tornado
it is composed of pulsing light
diamond patterns circling around
almost like a UFO
alien and strange
moving closer to us
I take a left into a warehouse area
the tornado closer
houses cars trees dirt and debris
are flying around it
the pulsing light pattern
giving off a rhythmic hum
we park at low concrete building
some sort of utility structure
there are people crowded around the entrance
we stand with them
watching the tornado approach
it seems like it is going to move safely passed us
then turns directly towards us
now the pattern on the tornado
are the bright diamonds on a snake
the tornado moves sinuous snake-like
directly towards us
I am transfixed
hypnotized
by the movement of the diamonds
as it approaches
someone pulls me inside
there is a dark hallway
we are behind a set of double metal doors
I am holding the doors closed
using all of my strength
the tornado is just outside the door
there is tremendous noise and violence outside
the doors are warping outwards
and in the openings
I can see bones and blood
churning in a vortex
I know I won't be able to hold the doors much longer
people are screaming and trying to help
the doors are now fabric stretched
my hands hold the handles together
the four hinges staking down the sides
sheets in the wind
I can see into the center
of the vortex
a churning maw of bones and blood
faces and bodyparts
and a blackness in the very center
like a still pool
reflecting nothing
infinitely deep
absolutely untroubled