The Storm That Never Came

the rustling of trees was frenzied 

like naughty children being hushed loudly 

the wind was no longer friendly 

but rough and unpredictable

bird chatter held notes of panic 

notes of warning

their flight across the sky

haphazard

as the wind, a former ally

now struck hard

against their delicate wings

a striped cat

walked across the garden

the music

of its movement intact

anxiety visible

only in finely balanced

haste

the wind whipped

enormous tree branches

into creatures possessed

swaying

in large dramatic circles

like participants

at a poetry recital

uncontrollable

with the heady mixture

of verse and wine

dark clouds swooped in

from the west

an army of enormous creatures

with irregular, diaphanous wings

menacing, unstoppable

carried by their brave,

determined energy

to pour themselves out

someplace else

6 June 2010

shahbano aliani