'Comfort': San Ramon Has Talent

SAN RAMON, CA — "Comfort" by Philip Henika:

Dylan said
A Hard Rain is A’Gonna Fall
And it did yesterday
While I sat in a recliner with headphones.
Raining outside,
Flooding.
Stuck in a warm home
Heat by Pacific, Gas and Electric.
Paid the bills on time,
Stayed comfortable all this time.
Ate a Big Sur Pizza from Pizza My Heart,
Watched college football
While the waters rushed to the windows
Of the single mom and her three kids.
Had to be saved by boat.
Washed down a real Coke in a frosty bottle.
Sighed a bit when the Internet
Went down,
Missed the end of the Michigan game.
Son sent me a pic
Of the water rushing down a culvert
Next to his building,
Just a couple of feet from overflow,
Closest the flood came to family.
I chase storms from my living room window
Closed tight for the rain pouring down its sill.
Felt a little bit wet on my face
When I took dog out
For his emergency business,
The big golfer’s umbrella
Couldn’t stop it all.
Went out later to sweep the drain of leaves and mud
When the rain slowed.
The Bayshore Freeway is closed in both directions.
Won’t drive in the rain.
Had the pizza delivered.
Just a mile or so away,
In my hometown of San Ramon,
Folks have been evacuated.
The power blinked out
After dark
Just for a minute or so
Not even enough time
For the eyes to adjust
Before the return of the bright television,
Halftime at the
Georgia/Ohio State
Semi-final playoff game.
A man died in Santa Cruz
When a tree fell.

Do you have personal poems, photos, or artwork to share? Email Michael.wittner@patch.com.