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. :)

[Mittens]

Great to hear you and your family are all right. :)

Blue, you really should be submitting this one to publishers, new outlets, magazines, any kind of medium. This one is absolutely fantastic. It does exactly what you wanted it too; it gives a reader the sense of being powerless and at the mercy of whatever nature arbitrarily chooses. The sense of family, and that at least being with them in what could be the end is a blessing is a heartfelt sentiment.

Great work, Blue, although, I wish the muse for it wasn't so close to your home.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Matt... I'm honored that you find this piece publishable. :) Anyway, there's another typhoon coming. Zoraida. Same places will be affected. Ugh. When will this end? I hate living in this constant fear. I've been traumatized enough.

[Einstein Noodle]

praying for you all. your courage is shown merely by the fact you are writing ... horror filled tragedy ..
E.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Thank you for your prayers, Einstein! :)

[Kaitlyn Raiford]

I love the imagery and word choice! It flows well and is absolutely beautiful. I cannot imagine being in the place of the narrator. Nothing can change the mindset as strong as the acceptance of death can.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Kaitlyn, thank you. Believe me, nobody wants to be in the shoes of the speaker. :) Best wishes!

[Kaitlyn Raiford]

You're welcome.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

This captures this powerful natural disaster so very well. The helplessness and the frailty of humanity is so naked.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Yes, yes, yes. I couldn't agree more. Thank you so much, John! :)

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Who could have thought the disaster would be so awful. I heard on the BBC news today 10,000people may have died! Such an awful thing and many more starving And homeless and vulnerable. Our thoughts are with them.

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

There must be a purpose for this tragedy. Still, we are not giving up. :)

[Dhaye]

Just hold on to our faith, sis.

God is good.
He won't leave us in despair.
That's all I can say.

Keep going!

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

I'm holding on as tight as I can, Ate. Thank you so much for your prayers. :)

[Laminators Dubai]

I can feel the desperation and helplessness here my friend.
god bless^^

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Thanks a lot, Glitch! :)