Mother Nature chagrined,
shrouded in grey low-slung sky.
Rains gush, pummel sideways
as she weeps beyond control.
Strong oaks uprooted,
her scalp bared in raw splotches.
Gales punish the unrepentant.
We the offenders struggle
bending at right angles from the waist,
plodding toward imagined escape.
Our feeble umbrellas abandoned,
their broken ribs litter the sodden path.
Has her sun forsaken us, our sins too great?
Depression’s black hole inverted,
is this vortex our fate?
It drowns even the most optimistic,
hope abandoned in storming grief.
We fear the apocalypse has begun.
Idea for poem came from yesterday — waking up at 6 AM and finding trees outside our windows blowing like crazy in the midst of a Nor’easter that lasted for almost 12 hours. It downed many trees across the area. Many across Boston and surrounding area lost power from pummeling rain and wind gusts up to 80 mph. We remained safely indoors. Photo is in public domain in Pixabay.com and is not from Boston.
**I am a positive person – really I am! Sometimes I have no idea why the pen turns to the dark side.
lillian the home poet 
I feel your fear, too, Lillian: this is an evocative poem. I am pleased you are safe and well, and still positive!
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Me too! 🙂
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I fear the wrath and backlash from mother nature. That image is terrifying but I am an optimist so hoping for the best.
Good to read that you are safe.
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We are indeed…but just back from a walk around our place and saw 6 HUGE trees totally uprooted. Quite the winds!!!
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When you do turn to the dark side Lillian, you do so deftly. Well done!
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Thank you, Linda!
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I can feel the power of that wind and rain–well done! We had a bit of that nor’easter, but not as bad as that.
My pen does the same thing sometimes. 😀
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Just back from a walk and 6 HUGE trees totally uprooted on the walk by our complex. What a storm!!!
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I’m so glad we didn’t get that. So sad about the trees. There are so many area around here that are still devastated by storms, flooding, and tornados.
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Global warming has made climate a raging behemoth. Nature has become so angry, wounded, raped, and abused, our plight will not be an easy one for the next decade.
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What a nightmare, especially for one who venerates trees as much as I do. Glad you’re (comparatively) safe Lillian. Thanks for sharing.
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Lillian,
That these thoughts come at us with the swiftness of a gale storm makes them all the more inescapable. How frightening the storm must have been! The last line is full of its despairing agitation. My pen feel it too many times.
pax,
dora
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I feel that earth will rid itself from humanity in more or less the same way as a dog getting rid of fleas.
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reminds of the storm of 1987 here in england. hope all are safe. loved the poem.
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Your description is fitting for this haunting time of the year.
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we are having severe storms across different areas of oz right now too … thousand in SA are without power and we are warned these huge storms will hit here this afternoon. The tragedy of losing those mature trees … you’re on a writing roll 🙂
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A dramatic build up leading to the final crashing question…well done.
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Glad you are safe, I can definitely feel the apprehension in your verses, especially love, “Our feeble umbrellas abandoned, their broken ribs litter the sodden path.” Your pen captured the moment well!
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I like the connection of uprooted trees to pulling out hair.
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Wow, that is some extreme weather!! Gosh, I hope the storm has passed now. I can never get my head around a wind so strong it actually manages to uproot a tree, it makes my mind boggle.
I enjoyed your thought process and analogy throughout however, and the personification of umbrellas littering the path like broken ribs was very vivid! 🙂
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What a storm and what strong words to describe it. I could feel the wind’s strength in your words!
I especially love these lines – ‘Our feeble umbrellas abandoned,
their broken ribs litter the sodden path.’ and ‘Strong oaks uprooted,
her scalp bared in raw splotches. A wonderfully powerful poem!
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“Our feeble umbrellas abandoned,”
This is such a powerful image alongside many more in your poem
A most profound write
Much💜love
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the second stanza speaks volumes of the feelings of that fateful day. I hope you’re okay.
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I am suffering badly my sight and arthritis, so I will return soon and read and remark,!
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I’m so sorry to hear this. Just take care of you and feel better soon!
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YOU are indeed a positive person … more than capable of darkness done beautifully.
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Well, the darkside indeed. I guess weathering that storm would send one’s muse in a dark direction, and you masterfully gave darkness a nod!
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The moon, of course is the perfect metaphor to convey the dark and isolating effect of your moon-month condition (which I just read about following your link, thank you for sharing)
I love the final lines:
“My hope: to see you on the other side
My hope, you are still near.”
Be well, and bring that hope with you.
~peace, Jason
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Apologies, I had too many tabs open and commented in error! Please do pardon me!
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Big storms are such scary (and exciting!) events, you’ve captured this feeling well. Oh those punishing gales….
Thanks for the weather update, I’ll have to call to check on family in the area! Glad you are safe, ~peace, Jason
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No one can go unafraid in the face of climate change. Well penned.
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Glad to learn you and George are safe, very sad to see those trees uprooted.
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Yes. We actually had six huge trees uprooted near us. And I was very sad to see I am not able to attend the reunion. We will be in Russia on a cruise then. Which means I am even more glad we got to see you when we were in Japan!
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