Deafening
When the night is crying
shards of rain without a pause
that slice into the earth
as if with intentional cruelty,
what words are her slurred voice
muttering, longing to shout?
What is it the night wishes
to force into our listening ears
and foolish brains?
If not the words, I hear the mood.
She wishes to be accuser.
She wishes to be accuser.
‘Where have they gone?’
I think she says: ‘all those trees
whose silken leaves
rubbed up against my skin
enjoying my embrace?
Where are the many creatures,
their eyes alight with my stars?’
My voice dies in my throat
before I can tell her
‘There are still trees,
there are still creatures.’
There are, but I know she means
they are dwindling fast,
have dwindled. I cannot meet
the night’s unanswerable questions.
Not without admitting guilt.
On behalf of my species
I cower and remain silent,
huddling indoors
where I cannot see
bright eyes in the shadows,
the moonlit edges of leaves,
nor feel the air soften to velvet.
I seek, instead, to muffle
the sharp slap of the rain.
For Weekly Scribblings #11 at Poets and Storytellers United, Sanaa invites us to try hypophora – in which a writer poses a question and then immediately answers it.
This is incredibly heart-stirring, Rosemary!đź’ť I admire the questions as well as the way you have answered them .. poignant in their act of realization especially this; "There are, but I know she means they are dwindling fast, have dwindled." Thank you so much for writing to the prompt!đź’ť
ReplyDelete...that denial - even when we know we have not fooled anyone. As old as the Bible story of Adam and Eve... Love this .
ReplyDeleteAustralia has had its fair share of environmental problems this last year yet so few see it as a human failure to maintain a balanced environment for both us and the natural world. Glad you are continuing to drive the message home. Not that politicians and industries have ears but we still try.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting that, being in different hemispheres, we have focused on different kinds of weather to highlight climate crisis, while both speculating about Mother Earth’s intentions, Rosemary. I like the idea that she has a slurred voice. Pertinent questions, too.
ReplyDeleteEarth is in distress, and that distress is conveyed achingly by your poem.
ReplyDeleteLuv all your images, especially "the sharp slap of the rain "
ReplyDeleteHappy Wednesday
Much✏love
This really gets me. My family is doing there best at social distancing, fearing the unseen enemy (virus) among us unseen. There are those precious moments we can forget the war and smile.
ReplyDeleteOh, and this got me from the first lines "crying shards of rain"
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful and uncompromisingly stark. Though I wish more could feel the horror and heartache of what we as a species have done. Maybe then things would change.
ReplyDelete"Cover you ears," Rosemary. Such a clever way of saying, "I should have the answer but I do not." "I cannot meet the night’s unanswerable questions. Not without admitting guilt."
ReplyDelete..
Your words deserve multiple reads, I know I have read it several times.
ReplyDeleteThis poem touches the heart and stirs it.
ReplyDelete