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After the Storm

Posted by skinner_jennifer on September 24, 2011 - 14:56
from the ABC set Poems

Sky turns an inclement murky grey,
a look of anger – sickly black,
fringes of sunlight trying desperately
to peek through the stormy billow...
only to be obscured by more darkness,

no time for gossip under a blanket of cloud,
angrily the fierce wrath of nature charges the
sky...flashing thunderbolts shoot razor sharp,
a booming rumble reverberating across the sky,
like the echo ringing through chambers of tunnels,

a mother carries her weeping baby...
seeking refuge as a deluge descends,
boom...boom! As children run screaming
and so the rage goes on under great stress,

rivers rising – mothers crying
figures with heads bent low,
hunched shoulders while others
run seeking the warmth of home
huddled under rainbow umbrellas,

dark clouds drifting leaving a deluge of destruction,
allusive colours drift on endless spray – as whispers
echoic along reflective pools staring back at me...

twigs snap ripped from fractured wounds,
heading down stream on their endless...
unhindered way, rendering each one helpless,

daylight releases its energy once more...
the earth damp with moisture incandescent,
as the damselfly settles at the rivers edge,

with ear to the ground listening to the sound,
the odor of wet damp soil petrichor – whispers
of tranquility...as evanescent clouds vanish...
ephemeral vanishing after the storm.

Discuss this piece in the abctales forum


Comments

Silver Spun Sand | September 24, 2011 - 16:03

Jenny this is wonderful in its entirety - so atmospheric, but the last four stanzas, just blew me away. And I learned a new word 'petrichor';-) Coined, I believe, by two researchers for 'Nature' magazine' in 1964 and subsequently used in Dr. Who, when a character called Amy Pond, had to describe the smell of dust after the rain, to break some kind of code.

Fantastic stuff;-)

Tina

Highhat | September 24, 2011 - 21:33

This made me think of the floods in Pakistan. Very dramatic and well written Jenny- such forces of nature you described so well.

;)Pia

skinner_jennifer | September 25, 2011 - 13:39

Hi Tina.

thankyou for your fantastic comment. The word
petrichor I discovered on the internet, when I
was looking for a word to describe the smell after
the rain. You too have given me some information,
that I had no idea about, so I too have learnt
something new.

I'm so glad you enjoyed this piece and thankyou
for letting me know.

Jenny.

skinner_jennifer | September 25, 2011 - 14:39

Hi there Pia,

wow! I never even thought about the floods in
Pakistan, when I wrote it, but now on reading it back again, I can see exactly what you mean.

I love you interpertation, really got me thinking.

Thankyou for you great comment and for letting me
know.

Jenny.

Overthetop1 | September 27, 2011 - 14:08

Hi Jennifer. I loved this. Beautifully written. And like Pia, I thought of the Pakistan floods too. Perhaps they had permeated your subconscious? Sometimes we aren't aware where the inspiration comes from. A deep, deep place that it's better not to deconstruct, otherwise we may stop writing. Hope you got you `buzz' from writing this. I got one just reading it! My writing `buzz' comes with getting an idea. The actual writing gives me a buzz once it's complete and I am satidfied by it, but with me I am never sure if it works, so it can be a muted kind of buzz!

skinner_jennifer | September 27, 2011 - 15:10

Hi there overthetop1,

you know, maybe you're right about the subconscious,
you never know what's lurking up there in the brain.

I was really grateful that you read this piece and
for letting me know you enjoyed reading too.

My ideas can come from anywhere, or even a thought,
a dream, a picture, a piece of music, anything
really, but like you it gives me a buzz too and a
satisfaction of achieving something from out of my
head, that I'm happy with.

Anyway again thankyou and enjoy the rest of your
day.

Cheerz! Jenny.

Kahdai | October 17, 2011 - 17:52

allusive colours drift on endless spray – as whispers
echoic along reflective pools staring back at me...
beautiful almost a poem on its own :)
and whispers of tranquility to the end is lovely, I learned that word on dr who too :j K

skinner_jennifer | October 17, 2011 - 20:23

Hello Kahdai,

I have to say, this one took me quite a time to put
together, it doesn't come easy this poetry writing,
but when it does it doesn't always seem to flow
straight away, but with determination I get there in
the end.

I'm glad you could appreciate this one and thankyou
again for letting me know.

Jenny.

Kahdai | October 19, 2011 - 20:48

Im glad of your determination then Jenny :) welcome