Drowning

Foreseeing the worst...

The sight around me is awful to behold

Worse than any tragedies and stories ever told

In a minute or so, I'll join the chorus of cries

Breath of life to piteous creatures denies

Such sweet death to spend with my family

As we hang on to the mercies of a mango tree

Praying to deities to spare us please

From cold waters creeping up our knees

Shouts of help and screams in the air

Unanswered sighs melting to despair

Deaf heavens and unconcerned lords

Unimpressed by hearts' tears and words

Water reaches necks and acceptance sinks in

Where our disbelief and denial have once been

Unfortunate fates--oh tragic! So tragic!

Like Noah's flood and the sinking of Titanic

If hope and rainbows are still not found

No dry land or habitable ground

Hell seems warm and heaven, bright

The less air I breathe, the lovelier the sight...

Author's Note

Friday, November 8, 2013

CEBU (Updated 1 p.m.) -- Typhoon Yolanda (international codename: Haiyan), considered as the strongest tropical cyclone in the world this year, has made its fifth landfall over Concepcion, Iloilo at noon Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported.

-from http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/11/08/typhoon-yolanda-makes-5th-landfall-iloilo-312742

Photo credits: Google Images

-Thanks for those who have expressed their concerns. God bless us all! :)
-My heart weeps for the 10,000 lives lost during the tragedy.

Reviews

[Catherine Frain]

WOW! Powerful strong images can be seen while reading this. I loved it, and I felt a tug of sorrow and pain for the people who are drowned in these storms, as no one is available to help them till after the storm.

I like the last two lines:

"Hell seems warm and heaven, bright
The less air I breathe, the lovelier the sight..."

But I feel as though the comma should be after bright, as it creates a unnatural pause right there.

Overall this was a wonderful poem, even though it's tone was sad.

I hope that anyone who is in the path of Haiyan is safe, and doesn't suffer the same fate.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Katie, no words can fully express how tragic that experience was. Thank you for your kind review and for expressing your concerns. :)

[Simon Welsh]

Such a horrible tragedy :/ This is a beautiful poem.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Thanks, Elliot. :)

[Rita L. Sev]

Perfectly expressed, Blue - I hope you and yours are well and safe.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Thanks for the prayers, Rita. Yes, we are safe now. And things are getting comparatively better here. :)

[Tam Warink]

I was thinking of you. I didn't know what to write as commentary to this. The storm has past but the devastation remains. Are you still with us? Are you well?

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Tam... Wow. I'm more than pleased to know I have crossed your mind once. Well, I am still here. But I hardly have time in this site since I am busy in school and work and all that. Yes, yes. I am well, and thank God for that. :)

[Tam Warink]

Good to know. Really. Thanks! :)

[Ruth]

My thoughts to you and all your family love...sending love and light...a wonderful poem, I feel for all involved x

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Ruth, thank you! So much. For everything. :)

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

A frightful and scary experience that makes you want to die, so it will just end. NICE WRITE ON THE SUBJECT!

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Yes, you captured the meat of the matter. And thank you for your kind words. :)

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

Nice to meet you through your writing!

[Chandradhish Ghosh]

More than anything else I hope you are safe and so are the ones dearest to you...unfortunately the loss is greater than the poem itself...so I will not say much but that it is a valiant attempt to describe a horrific nightmare...may you gather all your courage to face all the adversity and hold the pen tight as you have done here. I applaud you for this work!

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Hi, Ghosh... We are safe now, thanks for your thoughts. And thank you for reviewing almost all of my writings. :)

[dw817]

⊰ℛℛ⊱
Nature's glory. As my sister so aptly put it, "Mother Earth is shaking off her fleas." We loot and plunder this planet for it's wealth reaping and raping it of it's natural and often nonrenewable resources. Isn't it any wonder we haven't had more earthquakes or natural disasters in reply to our expediency to rupture it's natural flow ?

My hearts go out to those victims as well, and yet I wonder - has the Earth's axis tilted as my Mom predicted it would years ago ? Are the polar caps melting because of chemical pollution ? Is this perhaps not the cause of the unnatural weather and disasters we experience in this day and age ?

Years ago I wanted to move to Antarctica for this very reason. And now I am understanding they are digging for oil there as well causing bubbles to appear under the ice for what was once a still and serene surface.
http://bit.ly/VLKGmg

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

You really have insightful and fascinating thoughts, David. Thank you. :)

[dw817]

Glad you like it, Blue. Hopefully there is something to learn besides. :7

[icelandicblue]

I watched this on the news and held my breath. Unfortunately we will probably see more of this around the world because of global warming- which translates into more severe storms. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you who suffer due to this terrible storm.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Yes, global warming. Thank you so much, Ice. :)

[Megan]

I completely felt this piece, its beautiful. Thank you for sharing your talents. My thoughts are with everyone affected. ♡

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Thank you, Megan. I absolutely appreciate this. :)

[Diana]

A better attempt at grasping this tragedy than I could have done. Try to stay safe.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Actually, we are all trying to be safe here. Haha. You, too, Diana. Be safe. :)