This Lifted Stone

The sky is a bleak swollen storm, clouds
Low and torn like knifed pillows hover over
A smalltown coastline, burst, pouring foul
Face-numbing rain. A howling, all-shaking wind
Thrusts a swollen raging sea crashing
Against the protective embrace of a
Harbour wall, booming against it to splatter
Down onto deserted wharves, squat creels.

Men sit awaiting suppers or taxi down
To familiar smoky pubs, quieter now,
Deferential, the cheap emblems of their
Livelihood a touchstone, secret charms
Appeasing vengeful powers. The whole town
Has shuttered down into cowering
Frightened gatherings before the random
Subjection to an unknown, unfettered force.

This they fear: this isolated element;
A brutal pure force, unveiled;
A grinning skull at the insect people
Crawling for shelter on this lifted stone.