Storm(s) – poem
first draft
Storm(s)
by K. de Montbrun
-I-
the first,
swarmed like bees
the sting, the openeyed
shock of it, there, and
then again, here, again. the
flood that followed
swelled the banks
for days, foul!
it cried and loudly.
beneath the roil
and boil
a calm
that whispered
stay.
-II-
the second,
spoke betrayal, blood
pounding head,
arms tore the sky
pulled the storm down
spun it, wild
and fierce. the
rain pummelled
left nothing unbruised.
(the fruit quivered
ruined on the branch.)
in the silence
of the whirling eye,
i held my breath
and followed
your footsteps
home.
-III-
the third,
black gleam of crows
swooped down
from the birches
their wings beating
adieu, each
feather a sigh, each
a different name,
goodbye _ , and goodbye _ ,
and goodbye _
the air thick with
loss, and shattered silk
promises dusted
the frozen ground.
the stick in my
hand traced words in
the snow
come
back
-IV-
the fourth,
sealed the deal
so to speak, three
time’s a charm, but
four? four times
is something bigger
than that. it overflows
the edges, it pools
in every pore, every
chamber filled echoes
with the roar,
the rhythm changes,
the blood reknits
the fourth, is
the coveted bird
returned after winter.
the fourth,
is a gift.
take it
or leave it
or both.