It always starts with a beer on the floor
liquid chugging out sideways
slowly like blood from a cut

Sometimes before he wakes up
the storm takes the roof off

Other times he shouts it’s an honor to block for you
& before I smell the wind change he tackles the tornado

Most times I want to be carried through
the tornado on his back
there is no neutral zone where
we are not touching

Once I thought the engine starting was
someone humming into laughter
he threw me into the front seat breathing
in a slow fast forward

his black pickup was lifted into lightning
not quite like Danny and Sandy when
they drive into the sky there was no singing
it was more Helen Hunt cows screaming
nails being ripped from the boards

this one was violent for people
like us who only know how
to run hard to the endzone
like something under
the field wants you