weakening

i remember the old oak tree
its spreading branches
shading my window

i remember the night
that it all
came crashing down

i was curled up by my nightlight with a book
ready to leap back into bed
at the slightest noise

[it was no hour of the morning
for little girls
to be awake]

a cracking boom
loud as cannon fire
shook my whole room

i hid in the closet
thought it was an earthquake
or something equally terrible

someone was banging on the door
my sister was screaming
i dared myself to look outside

and there was my tree
split down the middle
half-lying on the roof

ever since that night,
i've had trouble sleeping
in that room.