Derecho

On August 10, 2020, with very little time to prepare, a derecho hit the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa causing widespread devastation. Known for its tornadoes, no one anticipated a fast-moving hurricane-like storm with straight-line winds of up to 140 mph that would last over 45 minutes. The unprecedented storm heavily damaged the city, impacting every resident in some way or another. - Without power for thirteen days, author J Matthew Waters stepped outside his home to witness trees down, houses destroyed, and neighborhoods unrecognizable. These are the poems and photos that came out of those following days. Not as a journal, but as a reflection of his state of mind.