Cloudburst (Terzanelle) Poem by Gert Strydom

The clouds are dark as the night
until the sky opens it sluices
with here and there light

pouring down gathered juices
with wild bolts of blue-white thunder
until the sky opens it sluices

with lightning falling with feelers, ready to plunder
splitting trees, setting the veldt alight
with wild bolts of blue-white thunder

bashing down, and people flee in fright
and hail, thunder and rain pelts down
splitting trees, setting the veldt alight

splattering in fury, causing people to drown
and man and beast is desolate
and hail, thunder and rain pelts down

with people struggling past fear, past hope, past hate.
The clouds are dark as the night
and man and beast is desolate
with here and there light.