Monday 27 April 2015

'Eruption'

I finished my novel today and I'm going to write some poems and paint some pictures before getting on with the next one.

I found a lovely new word today, DEUTERAGONIST - in ancient Greek theatre a player of secondary parts, and altogether someone in a secondary position. That definitely gives food for thought!

And how about a poem? An oldie perhaps?

Over the weekend there have been dramatic scenes in Nepal as a massive earthquake and tremors shook the country and killed thousands of people. I wrote this poem ages ago, but I think it's appropriate.

Eruption

It was a cold night.
Silence was draped over the landscape like a blanket.
One by one the lights in the houses on the hillside dimmed.
Sleep fell upon those who were not watchful.

Then there was a rumble and a murmur
And the earth began to tremble.
The sky was set alight by the orange glow
Of fire escaping from the depths of the earth.

The hillside came alive.
Vast showers of molten rock were spat from its peak and
The lava hurried down the slope in a cascade.
The orange splash was hot enough to melt the trees and grasses.
The energy of destruction tore gaps in the ground.

A bell tolled and the sleepers hurried from their beds.
They fought bare-footed through clouds of scorching dust and gas,
Engulfed by tongues of fire rising into the midnight air
And lava tumbling downwards to the city.

Many were swallowed by the cavernous furnace
Or eaten alive by burning orange tongues.


A few survived.


Thursday 9 April 2015

Just a note - new life

I have been writing a novel - still am - so the poetry is getting a back seat. To compensate, I was awarded a grandson - a beautiful peach of a baby born on the first day of spring and coincidentally, the International Day of Happiness! Baby Simon was not expected until at least April 1st, so the surprise and delight was even more immense and my photo of Simon at 2 days old on the crick of my son's arm now graces by laptop, so I can recapture that pride and delight Simon's parents are enjoying. I'm really not sure if a poem of mine could recapture any of this!