One Single Impression: Wind

For ninety minutes in June

Wind tore off skin
Exposed and shredded
Muscle
And left corpses
Draped over power lines
In unwilling bows
That suggested

Extreme humiliation

Or cast across laneways
And lawns
To be discovered and removed
By some bystander or passerby
Who dared to.

So it went in a vortex
Of black clouds and rain and
Green tornadic light
And thunderous, chilling
Cracks that,

As my dad would say,

Would make a believer out of you.

Except, of course, that this was the wind,
Air moving in circles at a furious pace

Except, of course,
That there was no fury.
There was no slaughter, no rape, no humiliation.

This was simply wind
Taking down magnificent trees

Because it was wind
Because the trees were there.

I was there.  I watched.
I said, and I say, fury.
Strangely.

Click here for images and the back story.

One Single Impression

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21 Comments

  1. nature can be frightening in its fury and power

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  2. What a powerful leash of fury!!! Who can muck around with nature? Grieve thing can happen from a whispering wind....

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  3. They are so powerful and destructive...it is frightening and awe-inspiring all at the same time!
    And tragic!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  4. You have such a way with words.

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  5. Hi Sandy,
    Hi,
    I have six awards for you!
    Yay! I hope you accept it but it is not mandatory, of course:
    http://hellaheaven-ana.blogspot.com/2011/06/saturday-awards-extravaganza.html
    Hope you're fine and have a great weekend!
    Ana

    I gave you an award a long time ago.
    I'm glad to know you keep on blogging.

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  6. Wizard with words my friend.

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  7. I like the way you contrast the matter of fact scientific view with the human reaction and interpretation.

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  8. I think it is that green light that chills my soul when I see it. It is so ominous. When one sees it you know the wind will be whipping and all will be chaos.

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  9. Just a brilliant piece... I could feel the force of wind..

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  10. Rendering fury...so well put.

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  11. Nicely written, Sandy. My poem started out being yet another one about the tornado that tore through Tuscaloosa but in the end I threw out all by one stanza and took it back to my childhood. I like yours much better than where I was headed.

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  12. Very nicely said, Sandy! I remember when I was in grade school we all (eight of us) went down into the storm cellar.
    Then one at a time was allowed come up the stairs and stand at the cellar door to watch the tornado action with a neighbor man who came to school to help us kids and the teacher.

    You were fortunate to be so close as you were able to watch and yet also fortunate to not be injured or killed.
    ..

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  13. Anonymous3:01 PM

    thoughtful...the meaning of wind...!!

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  14. What powerful words...wind can be terrifying and violent when it wants to. We are constantly reminded that mother nature is in complete control. Beautiful poem!

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  15. Anonymous8:25 PM

    You have captured the power of the wind so wonderfully. I am way too familiar with this kind of wind this year.

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  16. We can't escape or fight nature's fury.

    Powerful writing.

    I must say, I think your dog is cute in all his "dogfits" (smile)

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  17. Superb piece - powerful and profound!

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  18. The ravaging wind and its fury...
    could be felt in your powerful words.

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  19. Oh that Mother nature- you can't take her anywhere!!! Such wind indeed- I experienced some of that last night- it can be truly frightening! Love the WW pic- I would love to be THERE! Hope your summer is going along wonderfully!

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  20. Oh but this is wonderful Sandy. So vivid and powerful. Excellent...



    Melanie

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  21. This is a wonderful poem, Sandy, very well written.

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Thanks for being here.