Meteorology

ah, Meteorology...

So many syllables,
the spelling so misleading.
Scientific or poetic;
either way, I love weather.
I am a devoted cloud watcher:

Michigan to Florida.
California to Carolina.

Here, I suppose,
I must thank the U. S. Army.
RA 68021326...
This number 
came back to me easily,
since that was me
from March, 1968 to March, 1971.

In Fort Monmouth, New Jersey,
we, the soldiers who volunteered
for 93E20, our "M.O.S." -
Military Occupational Specialty -
learned twenty-seven cloud types
from three major groups:
Cirrus, stratus, cumulus.  

Using 1969 technology,
we collected information
from the atmosphere;
tracking our huge weather balloons,
high into the sky, 
out of sight,
recording the data.

Thank you to the U.S. Army
for sending me to:
Kentucky, New Jersey,
Utah, Colorado,
and the northern California coast.
A thrilling introduction
to the West that I love.

A memorable reward
occurred in Colorado in 1970,
when I met 
the woman
I still love today.

I tell her the high and 
the low temperature each day,
and how much rain
is in the gauge.  

We watch clouds together,
in all kinds of weather.

Sometimes, while
watching the moon
navigate the the sky,
full with the promise of love,
a meteor would streak
through our view;
a signal that we were
on the right path.

I especially liked the ones
that travelled to the West,
where I long to be. 

© 2016 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. & 2. Yosemite National Park - California 

3. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve - Colorado 

4. Home

5. Rocky Mountain National Park - Colorado 

6. Taylor Reservoir - Tin Cup, Colorado 

7. Kent County, Michigan 

8. Pickerel Lake Park / Fred Meijer Nature Preserve - Kent County, Michigan

9. Home

10. Gunnison, Colorado

11. Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming