The Day After No(e)L, Yes, 'E' and 'L': Counting Blessings on the Gulf Coast

Yes, "E" and "L"

It was the Day; it was Christmas
And all through the night
Not a spoon still was stirring
Those meatballs--they had tasted all right

The kids and the Grand safe at home with their gifts
(SAM and I were now alone except for the cat)
When what should appear in Mobile, Alabama
But a funnel (tornado) that lifts
Lots of trees, roofs, and cars in the air
And then they did splat

Old Man Winter clashed with Warm Gulf Moisture
And stirred up some trouble
Still, SAM and I kept our cool
Though our stomachs with too much food and anxiety did bubble

The weather scenes on TV were looking quite bad
But no one was hurt, at first reporters did say
The flashlight and candle were made ready
In case of power outage so a Scrabble game we could play

The game was begun with "slob" in the middle
And by the time it was over the last word was "if"
With tiles all gone and points added up
SAM had won fair and square though he did manage to miff

My "qi" would have been "quiet" if not for his "mod"
The U in my "human" was placed for the kill
But SAM was the cool one with sharp wit and honed skill
His "slob" in the middle the game had begun
By the end of the game I was "upended" by SAM's "if"
And he had won

Though the wind still is blowing
The storm's worst now is past
By light of day Mobile's damage will be showing
But the damage will not last

Last night on TV the people kept on saying
Through the storm their spirits were lifted by constantly praying
With them, we prayed too while the game we were playing
That the people we love with the Word that is right
Would be safe and at peace through the storms of the night

Look closely at the game board and you will see
That the "bib" that SAM made with "B," "I," and "B"
Was finished by me with an "L" and an "E."
The comfort we find to keep going through strife
We find in that book; yes, "E" and "L" with an "if" become--

"LIFE!"