Coding 101: Secretly Forecasting Atmospheric Conditions
invisible
compass rose
superimposed
on our faces
reversed to self,
mirror-style
“weather check?”
I remind us
before venturing along
I turn toward him
gaze to the heavens
a windsock lifting
changing angles
awaiting the forecast
“cloudy in the western hemisphere,
with a strong chance of sunshine
and a slight chance of storms,”
my own private meteorologist
prognosticates
in his whispered broadcast
in every forecast he makes there is
a strong chance of sunshine
and a slight chance of storms
he tilts his head
checks the sky
sneezes
no scripted teleprompting needed here
“sustained winds
according to the
barometric pressure
but otherwise
clear and balmy
stay tuned”
I whisper back
grinning a secret smile
signing off the air
I hand him a Kleenex and
duck into the ladies’ room
cocooning my own tissue
in my right hand
in search of a mirror
to release a small cloud from
my western hemisphere
Common Threads 