Tag Archives: Storm

The Dancer

in this moment I saw you
impressed upon the sheet of heaven
your wings
lifting you above all
that ever bound you here

~

CLP 30/08/2021

Late June

early evening rain falling heavy on hot soil, tarmac, stone

evaporates fast, forms humid stock, soured by sweat

bubbles up in steaming cumuli that boil over

drive down dust, pollen and temperature

so that tonight we might sleep

unless it doesn’t and the thick soup simply simmers

as we pull covers off, ache for breathe, pull covers on

attempt to seduce sleep with scent

dowse it with floods of dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin

and still we’ll perspire with pulses pounding

hotter, damp, worse than before

praying for a storm to break

a storm that will wake us where we fell

after sleep caught us off guard

as we lay alert to the flight of a curious mosquito

~

CLP 24/06/2021

Ship

shape

even

keel

storm

warning

heavy

             swell

                                                                                    rough

sea

                                                                      side                             

swipe

rudder

less

a d                      i           f

                                                 r                          t

cargo

shift

off

kilter     

ballast

dangerous

list

jettison

MAYDAY

MAYDAY

abandon

ship

sink

flare

up

life

boat

crew

manifest

bill

of

laden

salvage

                        attempt

salvage

attempt

insurance

policy

claims

list

~

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day Nine prompt: list poem…asked for “to do list”…but this is a poem about listing.

~

CLP 09/04/2021

Autumn Storm

She came upon us from the North

Dragging her gloomy shawl

Over the sheared hills and ploughed land

Turning blends of gold to black and white

Breaking limbs from oak and ash

Flooded the roots

Inundated roads

Coughing and spitting

She dragged her filthy sheets into town

Stuffed her discarded litter into the drains

Threw hailstones that scratched our skin

Turned the fair to ruddy-faced

We flinched at each attack

Our umbrellas reduced to sodden flags

Useless emblems of human pride

We staggered home through her spiteful wind

As she blew out the last summer lights

Then spread her dark wings and settled in

Gloomy angel of long winter nights

~

CLP 26/09/2020

On the Road I

Road becomes mud track

In grip of violent storm

Marks turn in summer

~

CLP 26/07/2020