An Alien Place Poem by Ernestine Northover

An Alien Place

Rating: 5.0


Our scorched earth erupts into belligerent flames,
Fanned by the wind, they sweep very fast down the plain,
They seem to delight, in their playing of these games,
When blue skies can deliver no deluge of rain.

Burnt down and blackened, all the tree trunks stand stark,
Leaving this wide landscape like an alien place,
Smoke billowing, the harsh flames start licking the bark,
Like huge hungry tongues that fear forfeiting the race.

Hastening onwards, with a strong wild winning urge,
With impetus, flora and fauna devouring,
Stripping the land bare, as it starts on its mad surge,
This fire, that has come to be so overpowering.

These flames ever feeding, engulf at such a speed,
Everything in their wake, is now changed into dust,
But from this devastation, each tiny new seed,
Will shoot new once again from this earth's ravaged crust.

© Ernestine Northover

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Frank James Ryan Jr...fjr 18 August 2006

A sorrowed sight...NATURE lost, but as you so eloquently allude to, in closing, New Seeds emerge, thus in Death, there is Life...Fine Penning, Ernestine...you capture, hold, & maintain the reader 'til you dictate when they can leave...quite an achievement...So, Can I Go Now? ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''FJR

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Scarlett Treat 18 August 2006

I am always amazed that almost before the smoke clears, God gives new vege-tation, little tiny bits of green shooting up and curling around the burned tree stumps. Isn't He just amazing? A fire on that scale is so horrible, and almost unstoppable. You have painted a vivid word picture, as you always do. Scarlett

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Duncan Wyllie 19 August 2006

YES! YES! YES! Now this is poetry in it's finest hour, a ray of hope like the phoenix that rises from the ashes, AWESOME, your brilliant hand has crafted a fine piece yet again I LOVE IT! ! 'But from this devastation, each tiny new seed, Will shoot once again from this earth's ravaged crust. Amazing Love duncan XXX

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Tailor Bell 19 August 2006

such an artistic portrayal of destruction...but not destruction of rebirth and hope. fantastic write, Ernestine. -Tailor

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Paul Butters 11 May 2008

Scientists say the whole Earth will be like this in a few billion years time, as the sun gets bigger and hotter. At least your starkly beautiful poem offers salvation in the last two lines. Paul.

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Andrew Blakemore 10 March 2008

From out of the ashes new life grows, wonderful imagery again. Great poem. Andrew x

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Alison Cassidy 31 August 2006

Ernestine, This one brings back memories of the horrendous bushfires of 1962, which swept through the pretty town of Warrandyte where our family lived. You have described admirably the belligerence of the flames when the North Wind rages, but also the miraculous re-growing, almost within 24 hours. In Australia the eucalypts return like blackened sticks covered with fine green lace, and within a couple of years the bush is back. love, Allie xxxxxxxx

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Francesca Johnson 28 August 2006

A powerful piece, Ernestine. Those last two lines are the icing on the cake. Love, Fran xx

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Sid John Gardner. 27 August 2006

Marvellous write Ernestine.From Earths devestation comes re-birth.Dramatic full of life and very relevent to todays unstable world.Nature wins out in the end. Best Regards, Sid John xxx

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