Storm Petrel

2002

Another early work. Storm petrels are a family of birds that, as I am led to understand, are capable of diving underwater and coming straight back out. The coolness and metaphorical-ness of the image prompted this poem. The meter is funky, and I like what comes out in the rhythm, although I’m not sure if parts of it completely work.

A small dark bird and a fell dark tempest
A dark wild wind and a dark blue sea
The bird is tossed by the three dark furies
Yet beats its wings upon the storm

The wind in howling hatred rises
The little bird rises in the gale
The sea’s white teeth all gnash in hunger
Wind meets sea with a dreadful wail.

The wind in fury not yet sated
Now beats the bird beneath the waves
The sea receives the speck with pleasure
To send it to its dark wet grave.

Yet up form the swell of the whirling whitecaps,
The little bird bursts alive and well
The tempest screams with awesome fury
The little bird sings upon the storm.