The Tangled Branch Discussion Forums

Some Mornings

the marine layer burns away early.
I can see Mystic Hill from here,
the light on its face--
not a hill really, tightly packed
stacks of lava that stuck
in the throat of a volcano
so long ago considered extinct.
Who's to say? Some days
the silence is palpable.

I love this description, can sense the brooding potential in the supposedly extinct volcano.

Quote:   Some days
the silence is palpable.

Like the silence which can suddenly descend in a previously noisy pub when someone asks, very quietly, very calmly, "Would you care to repeat that?"

Nice one, Indar.

Gyppo

Many decades later, I still remember a fine example of what you speak of. Speech teacher, high school (in the 50s) demonstrated two ways of expressing oneself. The first was a rather hysterical, repeated yell: get out get out get out accompanied by arm waving. The second was low and intense "GET   OUT"  and left no doubt as to whether one should leave immediately, no further discussion.

indar wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 04, 2023 7:10 pm

stacks of lava that stuck
in the throat of a volcano

 

Like that. Great image. Tuff  little poem all round.
 

Tuff  little poem

I feel very complimented! Thanks Mark.

Those last two lines are wonderful and devasting too. The silence they produce is brilliantly done.

Thanks Dave, natural events seem to be happening in unnatural ways more and more. Why not the reawakening of a volcano? 

Love the construction of this-- a terse musing with bluntly effective opening and closing lines.  Solid, solid bookends

"Extinct" . . . or dormant?  Just asking.  

"Palpable" is such a subtly powerful word. But it takes a special context for its use---like here.

Bravo.

T

 

love it.  resonating on many levels.