Powerless!

Powerless!

A Poem by David Lewis Paget

The sun had not even risen when

Delaney opened his eyes,

To colours, bent through a prism, and

Rotating there in the skies.

He thought it might be the Northern Lights

But they’re not seen that far south,

And with them came a crackling sound

To sow the first seeds of doubt.

 

He rose and walked to the window,

To stand by the sliding door

That led to his private balcony

On the hundred and twentieth floor,

The world below was in darkness and

In shock, he began to shout:

‘Hey Mary, get up and look at this,

The lights of the city are out!’

 

The lights of the city were out, all right,

There wasn’t a glimmer of light,

In all the teeming metropolis

Not even a car’s headlight.

Mary sleepily rose from bed

And joined him there by the door,

‘It isn’t the dark that does my head,

What’s that on the balcony floor?’

 

And there in the shade of the balcony

Was standing a monstrous beast,

Its talons several inches long,

Its beak was a foot, at least,

It suddenly opened enormous wings

Then steadily folded them back,

With eyes that promised a thousand things

And one, the threat of attack.

 

It saw them there through the plated glass

And rushed across for its prey,

Hit the glass and it looked surprised

The two were backing away.

‘Call the firemen, call the police,

That thing will need to be shot.’

‘The signal seems to have gone astray,

And the cell phone’s all we’ve got!’

 

The sun came up through the morning mist

And it lit the city square,

Delaney got his binoculars,

Nothing was moving there.

The power was out, so there was no doubt

They were locked in their flat, for sure,

The door to the stairwell wouldn’t budge

On the hundred and twentieth floor.

 

No light, no heat, and down in the street

No cars that streamed that day,

It was just as if electricity

Had suddenly gone away.

Their door had a pin, and powered lock

As did every door below,

A hundred and twenty floors locked in

With nowhere they could go.

 

The day wore on in the morning sun

And the birds had multiplied,

Looking like pterodactyls they

Swooped over the countryside,

And five came down on the balcony

Of Delaney and Mary’s flat,

The food in the fridge was spoiling as

The ice dripped out on the mat.

 

They couldn’t cook, they couldn’t eat,

They couldn’t open a can,

The electric opener wouldn’t work

Nor the cleverer works of man,

And the pterodactyls sat in a row

Out on the balcony floor,

With eyes of hate they would sit and wait

Til someone slid open the door!

 

David Lewis Paget

© 2015 David Lewis Paget


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Featured Review

Lights out, darkened spirits as we await the enevitability of Doom. Yesterday the sun was shining, although mans hands and misplaced brilliance focused on the *whys* of the planet. Let us not open the doors, that someday Dinosaurs may come upon Our bones!! Mind boggling, Sir David........

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.




Reviews

electricity huh, you just can't rely on it or live without it but i hope to God if its cut the Pterodactyls don't appear, just a fantastic day at the office for you David :)

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sorry if this posts twice, it seems like my comment didn't post. I just wanted to say that this was an excellent poem and a little un-nerving. I couldn't live in a world with no power or modern comforts! Next time the power goes out I'll think of this poem LOL.

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

How terrifying! A wonderful poem though spooky. I couldn't live in a world without electricity and modern comforts.

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

What a wonderful Poem-story
But what you say is true, People without power or electricity
We are really nothing... we work with power and electricity probably one of the most basic needs.
Interesting writing, I did enjoyed reading this

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

People are certainly powerless without power. If you're in you can't get out, and if you're out, you can't get in. And the birds know it...

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Back to the stone age it would seem here David. An apocalyptic tale indeed of our continued reliance on all things technological which isnt abating any time soon. Perhaps these creatures came from that black hole that was created - It reminded me of Day of the Triffids. Very good mate. :))

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

ANTO

9 Years Ago

I'll recap Marie but as long stop reading here if you want to read it again ***SPOILER ALERT ***
read more
ANTO

9 Years Ago

I'll recap Marie but as long stop reading here if you want to read it again ***SPOILER ALERT ***
read more
ANTO

9 Years Ago

wont work
I think the asterisks have broken WC

Meteors strew the sky
Peop.. read more
Lights out, darkened spirits as we await the enevitability of Doom. Yesterday the sun was shining, although mans hands and misplaced brilliance focused on the *whys* of the planet. Let us not open the doors, that someday Dinosaurs may come upon Our bones!! Mind boggling, Sir David........

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Whoa, now you are getting into the kind of things my great niece loves to read. You did very well on this write, today it seems all of the books and popular movies are about things from the unknown..Kathie

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Well… you wondered what you'd write next… And, now we know: a post-apocalyptic break down of all time and space! Doctor Who will be along momentarily!

Posted 9 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.


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9 Reviews
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Added on January 7, 2015
Last Updated on January 7, 2015
Tags: prism, lights, city, birds

Author

David Lewis Paget
David Lewis Paget

Moonta, South Australia, Australia



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