The Sounds of Silence

As you drive through the hardest hit areas of Joplin, there is a somewhat eerie silence. Somewhat.

It is a relative silence in comparison to five weeks ago when the sounds taken for granted could still be heard. Traffic. Children laughing and playing. Dogs barking. Those sounds are gone or infrequent at best. Now, when you drive slowly through the abyss, and stop, you'll hear the distant crawl of bulldozers, the buzzing of chainsaws, the crunching jaws of heavy machinery, flags whipping in the heated breeze, and a sound that will haunt me the rest of my days ..... the scraping and grinding of the swaying metal that hangs from rafters, trees, posts, or protrudes from blown-out windows, or encompasses unrecognizable vehicles.

This is some of the strong heavy equipment picking up the
debris that we mere weak humans sort and haul to the curbs.

Most of this metal is in unfathomable places; discarded by the evil forces of nature with such reckless abandon, as if to say, "I've done all I can with you, go find a place to look menacing". And it does. It's the sights as well as the sounds that send chills throughout my being!

Sheared sheet metal ~ compliments of the mega tornadic can-opener

This bothers me to think that such a HUGE mass of metal
 traveled through the air all at once to attach itself to this house

Joplin High School in the background of this metal-wrapped tree

One of many flags throughout the rubble symbolizing the American spirit