A lightbulb conjures Edison
but shines on another,
relevant
in the war of currents, (1)
that another player sparked -
vastly intelligent.
It would be the world's fate
to have its current alternate,
and, too, Tesla spared the elephant. (2)
(1) In the "War of the Currents" in the late 1880s and early 1890s, surrounding the introduction of competing electric power transmission systems, Thomas Edison promoted Direct Current (DC), and Nikola Tesla promoted Alternating Current (AC), which is now the standard for power grids around the world.
(2) Per Wikipedia, "In popular culture, Topsy [the elephant] is often portrayed as being electrocuted in a public demonstration organized by Thomas Edison during the war of the currents to show the dangers of alternating current." However, it goes on to reveal a more complex (but just as horrible) truth.
I sit in the dark, electricity gone
pondering options, will we have lights by dawn?
storm has taken out power, pink electricity in the sky
a monsoon-like shower, cannot help wondering why.
other people have lights;
we have not had ours for hours
this blackness gives me frights
where is our electric power?
Lined up
they perch in spaced formation,
ready to take fright and scatter
should a roving hawk approach too near.
I don't know why
they seem insulated from the deadly current,
or why
they make such a reckless target
for the raptors.
A cat looks at them
from a city pavement.
I do know what it is thinking.
The differing spaces between the starlings
could be musical notations.
A language just for cats and hawks,
played loudly,
on a blank sheet of sky.
Busting our ass all day
Just to see our money go its own way
With all this trying to get ahead
Trying to keep ourselves fed
The price of each word said
Breaking our back
High prices on the attack
Seems your working for free
Spending all the money before a penny you even see
Working all week paid per hour
Just to pay for your electric power
Cost of gas to run to town
No wonder everyone wears a frown
It gets them down
What's that smile going to cost.
Grab it before the moment is lost
To live, cost so high
Paying the bills same as mask men making you reach for the sky
Figuring out where the money went.
Before you left the house it was already spent
Kids needing this or that.
My wallet ain't all that fat
Robbery of the poor
When the rich has so much more
Yet higher, the cost of living does soar
Work all week
Of my money I get nary a peek
Where does it all go
For it I have nothing to show
That's all I know
Electricity’s out, how do I choose
the first task after a storm to amuse?
Might I discover new sources in me?
To start, I'll replace my personal fuse.
Next, a novel concept, I'll take a walk,
find out what's making my neighbors all squawk.
Old Mr. Harris is banging loudly,
No telly to watch, we'll have time to talk.
Helping shaky hands free his cellar door,
I've often muttered about his fine store.
There's a lot more to living than whiskey,
by list'ning, perhaps I'll help him much more.
We see three children playing in puddles;
We come in sight, they shrink in a huddle.
Capital thought, share some food with these three;
at my offer their mom nods, befuddled.
They help me rake up fallen limbs and leaves.
After building a fire, we go to my freeze
for the fine food that kids find delicious
I bring out hot dogs; we roast them with ease.
Harris brings over some slightly warm pop.
Neighbors notice, bringing more snacks, they stop.
What a brainstorm discovering neighbors
when electric power does a flip-flop.
February 18, 2023
Sotto Poet's contest: Acquaintance and Neighborhood
In a blink of an eye.
Powerful destroyer force.
You came to clean.
To take what was yours.
You have a way to
bring us together again.
Family, friends and neighbors
worrying for each other.
You teach us about:
Patience, letting go,
resilience, appreciation…
Showing us what really matters.
Simple things that
We take for granted.
Water, food, house,
Electric Power, cell phones…
Doesn’t matter, if you are
rich or poor,
Black or white…
Only humans help each other.
“God of the Storm”
We still have much to learn.
I know you will come back
For now, the calm return.
Angie Millan
While sailing unimpeded in the sea of hope
Sloshing over its expanding silver
Like a sailor addicted to the sea
Feeling the electric power of waves
Unwilling to be restrained
An avalanche of despair hit from behind
Shattering my Titanic like egg shells
I am now brutally ripped apart,
Desperately clutching at the shattered pieces
How a smiling visage turned sinister
In no time before any hint could be got
Here I am on a perilous voyage
Swimming against the stab of fear
With no lighthouse in view
A float tossed about by an uncanny fate!
Is my escape an armistice with life?
I see someone swimming by my side
A hooded assassin or a Saviour
To drown me or take me to a safe shore
I wonder!
August.8.2022
Strong Emotions Poetry Contest
Sponsor- Emile Pinet
Emotions chosen- Hope, despair, fear
For example I am, you are, I nearly was.
Neatly are all external sockets.
Electric power has before science come.
Taken together it forms.
Many of U.S.are to mentally ill,
to go on.
There are not many souls,
transparent people.
And there are to few again many.
Humanely is it poetry to altruistic none gain.
Universal declarations,
far placed most can now see.
Because of the fear,
is that circle of friends out of reach.
I have for a while been prosecuted for it.
To be sent to prison for the lack,
of a place to live sounds logical to me.
James McLain Thursday, March 28, 2013
Birds in the winter time much rely on this to keep their feet warm
Iintegrated heat rises from the lines to warm their bodies and feet
Red, black, brown live birds warming up this way
Doing this inflating fall and all winter long
Over on till early spring until late winter
Never complaining about the surrounding air temperature
Eying all their surroundings
Licing above the cold snowy grounds
Eeverywhere and all over 20 degrees
Cold tendencies no leaf on trees barren
Temperatures fine now
Reating just sitting here on this electric power line
In the coldest part of day my winged friends all stand
Cuddling feet nesting together
2/23/21
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr © 2021
After a long interval...
When I heard your well-modulated calm voice
through the phone receiver saying "HELLO"
Just a moment~ I blinked my eyes to recognise
the tone..
As soon as I recollected our last argument,
I felt an ultimate shiver in my heart
it was as though electric power was circulating
throughout my body
Heart beat thumping very rapidly.,
Perspiring continuously ----
brooding over past..
guessing the reason for this sudden call..
without responding ,Still I stood.
Emotions kept progressing untill I heard that
One word " Sorry " from "you"...!!!
When I finally heard it ,
Was back to "normal zone" in my life..
24-7-2020
Note:STRAND COMPLETELY NEW (13),any form,
any theme Poetry Contest.
Sponsored by Brian Strand.
Tornado Destruction
the tornado came
at first tame
Wind Whirling
the wind strong
blowing things along
Trees Blowing
the trees bending
branches far sending
Houses Gone
many homes destroyed
leaving a void
Electricity None
no electric power
a shattered tower
Food Spoiled
all gone bad
that is sad
_______________________
September 24, 2018
Poetry/Six-Word Couplet Series
Copyright Protected, ID 18-1064-656-01
All Rights Reserved. Written under Pseudonym.
Contest - Six-Word Couplet Series
Sponsor - Mark Toney
Tenth Place
We can’t stand this chaos, we need an organized society
Heartless humor
Haven’t we been saying that since the 90s’, only where is the organization?
The country will change, and things will get better
Such open denial
Can’t someone see the country is changing, only things are getting worse
We need God in this country, don’t we?
What an ask
With all the praying and churches, isn’t God here yet?
If only these leaders will have the fear of God, perhaps things will be better
Hear, hear
Not with all the loose money and dirty lies making the rounds on the corridors of power
Electric power is off again for the umpteenth time, and these thoughts are flying loose upstairs
Irony of darkness
You probably have the same thoughts, but like me would continue to hope things get better
the Milky Way
of her childhood
is gone from the sky
Note: a recent science article said that when a large city suffers a major earthquake and loses all electric power, such as happened with the Northridge quake back in the 90s, the emerceny centers are flooded with calls asking "What has happened to the sky?" because without city lights the night sky is visible in all it's glory and many who live in the light pollution of city lights have never seen the Milky Way. The article got me thinking that it has been a long time since I have seen it. I didn't realize until that moment how pervasive is the light pollution even in my rural area.
Such a force is electricity
it's such a dangerous force
it can't be taking for granted
for it's a active living source
It's so much part of modern age
so many appliances we have nowadays
without electric power it be no use
many new inventions leaves one amaze
Remember my first job after school
electrical apprentice was my role
many a story I could tell
drove many up the pole
In these days caused many a shock
even myself was literally taken aback
such currents didn't taste too good
when left on floor on the rack
So the lesson is very clear
be very careful with electric
keep yourself far from it
it's current can make you sick!
(This is wriiten from my experience as Apprentice electrician in my first job where I was found out to be colour blind, this showed me to get a few shocks.)
ELECTRICITY
Edison has spoiled us past the point of no return
Lights around the world all cause the city life to burn
Every child becomes addicted to computer fun
Computers make them stick to chairs so they forget to run
Trams all are electric now and shuttle to and fro
Radios and music in a headphone as we go
Cannot stand the silence that enhances every night
If we see the darkness we are all caught up in fright
Tonight just try to go without your plug ins for an hour
You'll be among the few to know the the true electric power.
1/27/13 Victoria Anderson-Throop ©
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