Storm (One of hundreds)

[fdelano]

Storm

 

Dark gray bottoms scrape

jagged tops of ridges,

fast-approaching,

obscuring now any signs

of mountains just passed.

 

An ominous hook dips

north, almost reaching

tops of trees along the river.

Sheets of rain and hail slam

forward to the northeast.

 

Only south tailings reach

my vantage point, allowing

me to watch the behemoth,

seeming to seek prey

in its fast swoop.

 

Brilliant white tops appear

with a late sun slashing

at the mass of moisture

soaking the valley,

adding to runoff down

saturated slopes.

 

The storm, heedless

of me, or any other soul,

and I unaware of its potential

should it have raked

my safe and dry sentinel post.

[abstrect-christ]

niely done.

[tonyv]

I like it a lot, Franklin. I'm curious about how you composed this. Did you observe and write while the storm was taking place? Or was it from memory? Was it pure imagination?

 

Tony

[fdelano]

I like it a lot, Franklin. I'm curious about how you composed this. Did you observe and write while the storm was taking place? Or was it from memory? Was it pure imagination?

 

Tony

 

Since we had tornado warnings that night, the wife had moved to a basement couch. When I heard the approaching storm, I went to the upstairs windows that offer a good view of the northern area of the valley--mountains to the east and west. I know the usual weather patterns here, but this storm came so fast, I almost missed it before it hit the ridges to the west. Moving ENE, the dark water, seen through lightning flashes was clearly soaking the valley. I kept looking for the downward hook underneath that shows the first signs of CCW circular movement. It never touched down, but I was afraid it would fully form and hit Front Royal. We were lucky. I wrote the fresh-in-the-mind Storm the next morning with my first cuppa.

Edited May 7, 2011 by fdelano

[tonyv]

I like it a lot, Franklin. I'm curious about how you composed this. Did you observe and write while the storm was taking place? Or was it from memory? Was it pure imagination?

 

Tony

 

Since we had tornado warnings that night, the wife had moved to a basement couch. When I heard the approaching storm, I went to the upstairs windows that offer a good view of the northern area of the valley--mountains to the east and west. I know the usual weather patterns here, but this storm came so fast, I almost missed it before it hit the ridges to the west. Moving ENE, the dark water, seen through lightning flashes was clearly soaking the valley. I kept looking for the downward hook underneath that shows the first signs of CCW circular movement. It never touched down, but I was afraid it would fully form and hit Front Royal. We were lucky. I wrote the fresh-in-the-mind Storm the next morning with my first cuppa.

Thanks, Franklin. I find background info like this to be helpfully inspirational.

 

Tony

[Tinker]

WoW! I think you captured the urgency and strength that an impending storm brings with it. There have been storms that have just frozen me to my spot, waiting the passing, hearing and even feeling the tremors of the force as it passes. Great job.

 

~~Tink

[Benjamin]

We don't get storms of such magnitude in England Franklin. It must be fascinating and unnerving to be in close proximity to such violent extremes of nature. I can well imagine it affecting every cell of ones being. The power of nature eh! Enjoyed the write. Geoff.