without power
the silence
and darkness
is complete
there are no sounds
from the machines in the house
the fridge doesn’t gurgle
nor does the water cooler
there is no buzz of computer
or ringing of the phone
and the clocks don’t tick
there is no “silent”
ringing in your ears
the normally lightly outlined
obstacles in the house
no longer
stand out in relief
as you walk from room to room
and what normally seemed
two steps away
now seem to be further
into the
darker
quieter
house
without power
and on a well…
there are no showers or baths
commodes don’t flush
dishes don’t get washed
laundry doesn’t get done
and there’s no electric heat
from the base boards
or your electric fireplace
it seems that
even the neighbours dogs
don’t bark
and while it’s snowing
there are no sounds from outside
no traffic on the roads
no air traffic overhead
the lack of sound and light
is deafening and blinding
it is complete
even the sounds of the weather
are noises we are not familiar with
17 hours
makes me realize
how completely
we as humans rely
on electricity
in our lives
even reading by candlelight
is a trial
there is no coffee or tea
no breakfast or lunch
no relief
it’s both awesome
and terrifying
how startling
having no power
for 17 hours
is
