In the Days of Hurricane Dorian

God, you speak from the siren
of first responders
and not the whirlwind.

You comfort mourners in the Bahamas
and those who sift through loss
of home and business
after the storm stayed and stayed
over the islands
and you have waited
on the worried mainland
through the vigil of trajectories.

Give to the stranded — patience,
to caregivers – stamina,
to those who choose to stay
with their small animals,
common sense
and bars on their phones.

Along the seaboard storm path,
give wisdom to governors,
energy to emergency room workers,
guidance to school superintendents,
judgment to those
who deploy line workers.

And turn neighbors
into good watchers and kind friends,
while strong bands and eye-walls
are passing by,

and, having learned
to notice and to care in these days,
make us people always attentive
to the winds that are blowing
in other people’s lives.
amen.