A paragraph of birds before the storm
           foretells its fury to a startled world.
           Above the mountains, cloud novellas form
           with thunder syllables and lightning hurled
           as markers, that explorers later on
           might read the pages cinders left behind.
           Then falls the rain. With all pretensions gone,
            the wind inscribes its will on humankind.

               At last, the tempest closes with a sigh.
               A final chapter lingers in the dale,
               caresses drooping flowers. From on high
               an epic rainbow signifies farewell.

                The tale is told. The book has blown away.
                Thus, ends the story of a summer day.

LaVern Spencer McCarthy loves to write short stories and submit them to magazines and other publications. She has written and published twelve books of poetry and fiction.

Her work has appeared in Writers and Readers Magazine; Meadowlark Reader; Agape Review; Bards Against Hunger; Down in The Dirt; The Evening Universe; Fresh Words Magazine; Wicked Shadows Press; Midnight Magazine; Pulp Cult Press, Metasteller and others. She is a life member of Poetry Society of Texas. A poem she wrote was nominated for the 2023 Push Cart Prize.