The Tempest

An island there was, full of laughter, love-

I, the star pupil in this teeming school of life,

Living like life should be lived, as his wife-

And then, dark fell, mighty terror from above.

 

Shaking limbs, furious hail, blazing light:

The tempest stole my soul and left a shell,

Carrying my core into a solitary hell-

Without a sun, there can only be night.

 

Carrion, I am, no gleam left in these eyes;

No aura-shine surrounds me anymore at all.

Hollow voiced, no laughter left within to fall

Again from these lips, turned blue and white.

 

This was no act of God, though penance for sin,

What rendered me a sallow bag of bones and bile.

The masses' echoing cries surrounded me awhile;

Strewn about: limbs, and organs, and fair fair skin.

 

The night of the storm, all beauty was damned-

The hurricane a sharpened scythe, reaping men,

Left the detritus of little histories without, and in

Heaving its last breath, it killed all but the sand...

 

And, supposedly, me.

Reviews

[Crowley]

A mighty big poem for an equally tragic subject matter. Wow, this felt like the question "why" to me, with no asnwers forthcoming any time soon if ever. The lines were jagged and sharp, leaving no clean wound for sure. Only one that really can't be stitched up nicely....wicked scar the only thing left behind. Nice write, loved it.

[Libby McKeown]

This poem is solidly written, and emotionally powerful in its despair. While this poem is littered with amazing lines, I have to say the last line is my favorite. Like a punch in the gut. The imagery here is powerful as well; I could see patches of fair fair skin strewn about, and the idea of men reaped by this tempest actually took my breath. I love this work!

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Thats was emotional astounding... your creative account really captures how one person can diminish a soul when they control them with a high and mighty attitude. The ending was heart stopping.