Winds whirl as clouds build
heavens thunder, upset calm.
Ominous sky shifts like easel askew,
pearlescent clouds turn darkest grey.
Ocean current races toward home,
whitecaps crashing shore.
Nearby, daisies’ ruffled petals
duck and dance to nature’s roar.
Sole large succulent leans in, thrilled.
Meets nature’s tantrum with aplomb.
Its tall spike-stems ignore the ballyhoo,
resolute, they refuse to sway.
I stand on cliff, sprayed by foam,
wait for rain, weather’s soaking encore.
It never comes and so with mettle
I hike further up the coast I adore.
Written for day 8 of National Poetry Month. Responding to a Toads prompt to write an L’Arora, a poetry form developed by Laura Lamarca. It is an 8-lined stanza with the following rhyme scheme: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, f. The poem is usually a minimum of 4 stanzas, but for Toads, 2 are allowed.
Poem motivated by photo from our La Jolla coastal walk about a month ago. Now we are back in chilly Boston!
lillian the home poet 
What a beautiful place to be
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Oh this is absolutely perfect! 😃💌 The images; “clouds build heavens thunder, upset calm,” “Its tall spike-stems ignore the ballyhoo, resolute, they refuse to sway, ” are nothing short of gems, Lillian! You rocked the prompt! Thank you so much for giving the poetic form a go 🙂 and for participating. 💘💘
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What a wonderful spot to walk along. Love the photo. I love the description of the shifting skies in this beautiful poem.
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What a wonderful spot to walk along. Love the photo. I love the description of the shifting skies in this beautiful poem.
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Your opening stanza had my heart thumping, Lill, it’s so invigorating and so detailed! Ballyhoo is a wonderful word. I love the defiance of the sole succulent, and the photo is perfect.
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Beautifully lyrical ❤
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I agree, what a beautiful place. You describe it so well I feel I’m there, lovely❣️🙏
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Certainly a gorgeous place! And I love how you rhymed your second stanza to your first, all the way through.
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