Hurricane Season Tankas

The wind speaks to trees.
Roads turn to rivers
and park benches drown.
We go about our lives
in this seaside town.

*

In the row of houses
by the university,
all week, a flurry:
sorority girls
strutting for TikToks.

*

They look unbothered
in their cowboy boots
and pink bodysuits.
They all hold their phones
aloft for selfies.

*

The tide was highest
on trash pickup day.
Imagine what floated
into the river—
or what will emerge.

*

We tried to recall
the times we fled town.
For sure, for Isabel.
We can't remember;
there were two others.

*

There's still milk and eggs
on grocery shelves.
This is still early—
the season is just
beginning. Days shorten.

*

Do we have Go Bags?
We talk about it.
Emergency status:
practically every
day, the heart thrashes.