Tempest
poem by:
Geoffrey Brewer
Written
on Nov 29, 2016
TEMPEST Twin limestone tors thrust up through valley floor Like islands or icebergs in a calm flat sea Deep green save where shear rock can hold no spore To spawn in fecund tropic niche a vine or tree Midday and all is calm untroubled and still In the tangible heat, all movement paused or restricted No signs of ought that might disturb our will A landscape placid, serene as in painting depicted But look to the sky the seeds of change are sown There are signs that portend a transformation near Those innocent clouds mere cumuli have grown To cumulonimbus extending t'ward stratosphere And therein is enormous power enclosed The stored up energy that soon must be released Unleashing forces of primal power unopposed The laws of Nature never to be breached Now lightning flickers o'er distant mountain peaks And faint thunder echoes round steep valley walls The breeze accelerates and chills to speak A warning of the fast approaching squall Is it the charge in the air that has swallows now energised To move from circling low between tree and house Their flight plans now are recklessly revised To helical soaring up under threatening clouds A steady light drum roll on roofs - a sound train Starts gently then in crescendo ends the prelude Announcing clearly the now impending rain Then prodigious splashes turn rapidly to a deluge The waves of rain traverse our panorama Like gauzy curtains drawn by a cosmic stage hand's might Progressively transposing the features to those of dark drama 'Til familiar solids are shrouded, obscured from sight Now random electric arcs flare the bleak vision scanned And cacophony of thunder dominates all sound An awesome confusion and darkness is upon the land With all normal visual anchors concealed or drowned But in this world each cycle must be ended Perhaps reversal of events that had us unmoored And soon the terrible drama's played out and expended Peace, light and order are gradually restored Known reference points can once again be seen The twin rocky peaks firm and clear through the rain-washed air Residual cloud makes fine-spun white wraps for hills now green And we're reassured by prospects familiar and fair Now is this chronicle an allegorical tale Of human life that can't be assured free of strife And would we then choose bland existence without travail Or rather confront the magnificent storms of life [Geographical location:- Kinta Valley, Perak, Malaysia]
Tags: inspirational, metaphor, dark, imagery,
Add Comment
Q. Ramirez commented:
I was envisioning the Sierra Madre peaks of Mexico from outside Mexico City. Great picture in words of poetry.
Mishley Nim
commented:
Love the diction and vivid description. These really brought me to your world. So tumultuous!
Muk -
commented:
Great description
Arch Angel
commented:
Wow. Splendid imagery...
dan miltz
commented:
Nice work...Very good write!
Christopher Russon
commented:
So well written
Edward shields
commented:
This poem sounds like it was written in 1800's
Geoffrey Brewer
commented:
Edward, I take that as a compliment. The 1800s was a more literate era.
Richard L. Provencher
commented:
This is a fine poem, and one of the reasons I am attracted to this site. Strong images like the beat of a drumming partridge/ruffed grouse. And it reminds me of the writings of Wordsworth, from my high school days.
rebeka Philips
commented:
Very descriptive poem.
Piya Paul Mudgal
commented:
Beautiful collection of thoughts
Maria Williams
commented:
Your poetic work takes me back to tropical islands where it's calm and suddenly out of the blue comes this thunderous lightning and storm which passes as quickly as it has come and rejuvenating the surrounding land - just like life - You captured it so well Geoffrey - I've been to Malaysia too - love it - thank you for sharing your picture
