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Edition #163, December 1, 2011

White Light, White Heat

Photographer: Lance Wales

White Light, White Heat

Afternoon heat builds, clouds form;
Thunderheads grow.

Watch the radar, storm cells appear;
A photo opportunity?

An hour drive, taking a chance;
Storm front converges.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning, no place to hide;
Gust front with heavy rain.

Lightning all around, wind too strong;
More than I bargained for.

BNSF Mendota Sub., Earlville, IL;
Double track main with lineside poles.

B&Q Searchlight Signals, inplace since the 1940s;
Living on borrowed time.

Shooting from inside the van, staying low;
Trying to keep the camera dry.

Wide angle view, lightning too far away;
Hoping for a closer bolt.

Intense light, instant thunder crack;
Sensory overload.

Close the shutter, chimp the screen;
Hair on the back of my neck standing straight up.

Capture the scene, the prize is mine;
Thunder still rolling as I laugh.

White light, white heat;
50 thousand degrees of ionized sky.

Next bolt strikes too close, time to leave;
High risk yields high reward.

Drive home with a victory cigar;
Summer Evening, Summer Storm.

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