Best Tempest Poems
surrendering
reflective puddles
of rained regrets and sins
I offer my humility
the only gift I can give.
Susan Ashley
September 2, 2018
~ First Place ~
Premiere Contest: Pithy Pants
Sponsor: Maureen McGreavy
They know how to press those buttons,
With just a familiar chosen word or two,
How to enrage one's spirit with a tone,
A glance sharp enough to pierce the skin.
A will that screams, I am better than you,
Stronger, louder...how they deftly dominate.
Sometimes a controlled backfire is needed
To control the intensity of growing flames.
A tempest tipped to dissipate, to drown itself
In blending the cold air with welcome warmth
As atmospheres of milder temperatures prevail,
Mildly melding together, creating a balmy breeze.
© Connie Marcum Wong
Note:
Those couples who argue and make up will relate to the metaphors
used in this poem. A definition of *backfire is for those from other countries.
NORTH AMERICAN
*backfire: a fire set intentionally to arrest the progress of an approaching fire by creating a burned area in its path, thus depriving the fire of fuel.
Upon a glorious night
A burning fire lit upon my unrented spine
Deafened by fleeting sight
I flee the home that never was quite mine
Crushed in garish fight
Within the corridor I dare to flee
Blinded by his might
While all the sad spirits return to me
Oh Tempest, you blow in me hope
Of sorrow more true than any other light
Oh Tempest that guides my departed
To your soul so bright
Rejoining each of us—the broken-hearted
Upon that vaporous eve
Enclosed in bond beyond mortal grief
Lost to the foggy reef
The fog that so lingers in these glistening eyes
That vapor drew me near
Bedazzling more than the moonlit mirror
To where I see him fly
Twas a heart-reaching place I always fear
Oh Tempest, you blow in me hope
Of sorrow more true than any other light
Oh Tempest that guides my departed
To your soul so bright
Rejoining each of us—the broken-hearted
Between the beat of my breast
A heart that beats only for him
He slumbers in the clouds
The clouds that pour my poignant prose
Beyond the darkened seas
The wind does carry the scent of his bequest
Within the folding of the storm I cease to rest
Oh Tempest, you blow in me hope
Of sorrow more true than any other light
Oh Tempest that guides my departed
To your soul so bright
Rejoining each of us—the broken-hearted
To him my sorrows lay
And fall into the arms of strangers' trembling spine
As light and pain fall gray
Twas there they grayed and blended with the rain
Twas there they grayed and blended with the rain
Twas there they grayed and blended with the rain
O daughter of thunder, slayer of dragons (and of men's hearts), why do you hurt me so? For which sin must I reside in this purgatory of despair, this abyss which allows me no peace nor ray of hope? If I were to serenade you with a sorrowful song might I be forgiven, or would your spite remain? Like an inferno that ravages a man's flesh and scatters his ashes to the four winds, the heat of your wrath torments me to no end.
Remember, please, the days of old when trust informed our friendship and lush lyrical gardens were ours to frolic about and delight in. I pine for your touch, your gentle stroke upon my brow, the tender poesy whispered in my ear that brought me to my knees, weeping. This solitude is worse than enduring a hundred hells. If I were to fly across the sea to where you are, would you still forsake me? How I abhor this isolation, this insanity which haunts me in my dreams. I call but you do not answer, your silence more deafening than the horn of battle.
I beg you, end this pain. Let us enjoy sweet society once more. Sing to me a lilting lullaby, bring my troubled spirit peace. O daughter of thunder, speak poetic words of comfort and I shall welcome you back with open arms...
or will this wicked tempest in your heart last for all eternity?
*image not mine
The Tempest
Upon enchanted sands of shipbreached shores
Dethroned beggar of a borrowed callow mystery
Heaves a lightning staff into the waves -
Thunderous and raw clandestine secrecy
On luminous swirling ariels sheering the celestial –
Into the curfew of castaway souls as a hoary appeal
Where storm surges loot delirium in foreboding typhoons
As rioting angels brood in their search
For the orphaned heart in tattered rags of upheaval.
Hear the muted tempest of dark depths roar
As wintered tantrums rock the shores
Leasing waves with unseen spells and charms,
Harnessing the tidal astrals in purifying
Tsunamis of holy risk –
Storm watch night, for souls in cataclysmic squalls,
Reshape the shallow shoals infected by deceit
Refresh the tidal pools emptied by betrayal
Now calm the ruffled gales -the shattered glassy sea,
Return from shipwrecked isle to fury abandoned shores.
11/3/2020
Contest: 2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 6
Sponsor: Mark Toney
Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Like winds incessant through the night
and torrents dumped from darkened clouds,
the storm raged on without contrite
my anguish hid ‘neath subtle shrouds.
A storm like this I’ve never seen
in my whole lifetime to be sure
when hot converging airs convene;
‘tis more than one should e’er endure.
But now at dawn an eerie calm
as sun peeks out and shadows cast,
and nature sings its Sunday psalm;
the mayhem seeming to have passed.
Yet as I look around the room
belongings scattered everywhere;
my treasures past have met their doom,
been tossed about without a care.
My heart is crushed, left in a void,
its pieces scattered on the floor;
like trees blown down, my life destroyed
as she walked out and slammed the door.
October 26, 2020
cataclysmic waves
awaken sailors' nightmares
last rites claimed by sea
Written on 2/10/2016
TEMPEST
Twin limestone tors thrust up through valley floor
Like isles or icebergs in a calm flat sea
Deep green save where shear rock can hold no spore
To spawn in fecund niche a vine or tree
Midday and all is calm untroubled, still
In tactile heat, all movement paused, restricted
No hint of ought that might disturb our will
A landscape placid, as in paint depicted
But look to sky the seeds of change are sown
There, signs portend a transformation near
Those gentle clouds mere cumuli have grown
To cumulonimbus, thrust t'ward stratosphere
And therein is enormous might enclosed
Stored energy, that soon must be released
Unleashing primal power unopposed
The laws of Nature never to be breached
Now lightning flickers o'er far mountain peaks
Faint thunder echoes round steep valley walls
The breeze accelerates and chills to speak
A warning of the fast approaching squall
The charge in air: has swallows energised
To move from circling low ‘tween tree and house
Their flight plans now are recklessly revised
To helix soaring t'ward the threatening clouds
A steady light drum roll on roofs - sound train
Starts gently then crescendo ends the prelude
Announcing clear the now impending rain
Prodigious splashes transformed to a deluge
The waves of rain traverse our panorama
Gauze curtains drawn by cosmic stage hand's might
Relentless, recasting features as of dark drama
Familiar scenes are shrouded, hid from sight
Now random electric arcs flare bleak view scanned
Cacophony of thunder rules all sound
Awesome darkness and confusion on the land
All visual anchors cast in shade spellbound
But in this world each cycle must be ended
Perhaps reverse events that had us unmoored
The drama, soon is played out and expended
Peace, light and order gradually restored
Known reference points can once again be seen
The twin rock peaks come clear through rain-washed air
Clouds make fine-spun white wraps for hills now green
We're reassured by prospects known and fair
Is this chronicle an allegoric tale
Of human life not granted free of strife
Would we choose bland existence without travail
Or fain confront the magnificent storms of life
Wind, your double essence is well-known.
Whispered summer breezes you exhale;
Then suddenly you turn. You surge and wail,
Expelling rage, you bluster or you moan.
Your brute relentless nature then is shown
For you become a cyclone, Hound of Hell,
Or show yourself a monsoon, squall, or gale.
Unquelled, a devil’s wrath with dust is sown.
As you intone, we’re stricken by your power.
Whipping wind, who thrashes us below,
You’re merciless until that final hour
Your vehemence ceases. Gust, I hate you so.
You scour Earth for those who next must cower.
Two-faced tempest, most indeed you BLOW!
For the NETTED by WORDS: HER SILVERED, TENDER WEBPoetry Contest
I used the theme found in "Wheeze of a Wind" which had been entered
by Nette in another of Cyndi MacMillan's contests:
Timeless Yet Contemporary, A Sonnet Thang
Note to Nette: My sonnet cannot hold a candle to yours. I think your contemporary one was better than my traditional one; however, I hope you can feel my anger about wind in it!! I just love how you did your modern sonnet for Cyndi!! BTW, I MISS you. Where ARE you anyway???
Summer Tempest
Oncoming tempest
Charges the air with ion
Strong wind gusts predicted soon
Torrents of rain fall
Like a river coming down
Flooding sidewalks and sewers
A rainbow appears
Promise sign that seems to say
"The city’s survived the storm."
7/15/16
For" A Perfect Storm"
A Storm, A Tempest And A Hope
Remorse hangs like dark and bitter fruit
A tragic voyage far off the right course
Cuts to the mind with an evil root
Blood-lust still in the crying remorse
Defeated
Alone
A shot into this darkened lost world
Future clouded in a racing mist
A boulder into a grave now hurled
More pains added to the emerging list
Volley blasted to summon a darker Fate
Deep bath in seething, rich hate!
Ship sent to give a last chance
Treasure laid for the roving eye to see
Nights promised with engulfing romance
Endless pleasures from our loving tree
Then the shadow raced into a new sight
Trumpet sounded to eat away your face
Darkness soon ate away the splendid light
Revealing my saddened soul in its deep disgrace!
No stars shine upon this torture heart
The world shudders without you in my life
We die a thousand deaths when we are apart
You my love were to be my eternal wife!
Now time eats into the void of our loss
As our future certainty is a great unknown
On this stormy sea, swells give us a toss
Where such dark evil plans are blown
Pray for mercy to be downward cast
A miracle to be given and sent
If our love was ever meant to last
The Light must return and give blessed consent!
Robert J. Lindley, 07-16-2015
This was originally written decades ago, but after having rewritten it twice as it is now presented here -I'll just leave the date as shown from the final rewritten version.
"Helios and The Tempest"
...
full knowing his azures
she watches him rising
he sends sunlight
to her windows
full knowing the thoughts
non-conditional behind
her shaded jades
what fresh hell is this
spring green now
becomes her dazzling day
he doesn't miss a trick
he sends golden smiles
they're forever in eclipse
when he is the sun
she is the moon
day in day out
they move like this
he weathers her warmly
The Tempest
lets her reign
he brings out his fire
imparts each time
time and time again
she crackles electric
radiant
her thunder and
her lightning rods
thrown for want
of love
he lets her reign
like this
he brings out his fire
imparts to her each time
she's captured with
a long held kiss
suspended she is
enraptured
he has won at this
she will gladly fold
into him, and to him alone
she'll willingly lose
to share a chance at bliss
Hearts are Trumps
They can win at this
(LadyLabyrinth/2020)
I ride the waves of innocence
on the ocean of The Now.
From the depths of dank
a demon stalks my bow.
On deck afraid, alone I stood
quelling fear the best I could.
Furled the jib and reefed the main
what you do when the wind's insane.
Then rising atop a stormy swell
the giant beast straight from hell.
Peering so deep in its deathly eyes
I could hear a thousand sailors' cries.
The chilling truth that I could see
was the evil thing in fact was me.
The Tempest
That misty shadow on the shore,
with crimson sunset gone from view,
foretells a tempest is in store;
the dreaded forecast has come true.
With crimson sunset gone from view...
forgotten is fair yesterday.
The dreaded forecast has come true;
harvest of sunny days, at bay.
Forgotten is fair yesterday...
now thunder growls an angry song.
Harvest of sunny days at bay...
the deluge coming, strong and long.
Now thunder growls an angry song...
and lost is love and all its grace.
The deluge coming, strong and long...
a grim finale...now must face.
And lost is love and all its grace,
foretells a tempest is in store;
a grim finale. Now must face...
that misty shadow on the shore.
Sandra M. Haight
~1st Place~
Contest: Ten Words
Sponsor: Joseph May
Judged: 04/23/2018
10 Required words used in order of appearance:
misty shadow shore crimson tempest
forgotten yesterday harvest love grace
another tower, rising up the skies,
a high terrasse, a night, a starry weather,
a caviar, a bird of paradise
for every towerer, a golden feather
on tux’s sleeve…
all of a sudden strike
of lightning in the pyramid of glasses,
shards! thunder! screams! crush in the dark! a spike
of panic, a lead cloud that amasses
new rage at arms’ length, furious wind gusts,
first drops of rain as bitter as the tears
that flush away ambitions, dares, lusts,
and hopes of the new babylon that nears
its end…
a soggy bird of paradise,
another tower, rising up the skies.
After The Party Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Anthony Slausin