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Friday, August 5, 2011

Waters

It has been a busy week, filled with torrents of rain. It reminded me of the floods we had on the other side of my country earlier this year, whilst we sat in parched lands... It was an irony that tore at my heart.



Waters

Dilemmas of water rise out of the darkness

Divergent images creep,

Our country divided asunder by water

I stare at those torrents and weep.

Longing for rain in drought dried pastures

That wilt as beasts grow lean.

Without winter rains that flow from the heavens

There's hardly a harvest to glean.

Easterly breezes that suck out the moisture

Alighting on parched coastal plains

And crazed in the heat, the underbrush tinders

Devoured by wind tortured flames

Yet through the red centre and over the mountains

Land that was dried countless years

Now shudders under wide torrents of thunder

Of deluges too great to bear.

With flood waters rising and perils abounding

Our countrymen wade in the fray

Gathering children and scanty belongings

Unsure how they'll face the next day.

As rains keep on falling, and floods keep on rising,

And folk risk their lives for their mates

I pray that our Lord hears the cries of our brethren

Deliverance from Him we await.

So I'll ask for His mercy to fall like the rain

Flood the land with His grace from above

As we reach out our hands to help those who are suff’ring

Hoping each will be drawn to His love.

For no matter what falls on our water torn nation

What's left at first light of the sun

I know that together we'll shoulder these burdens,

Unite hearts and fight this as one.

6 comments:

Mystic_Mom said...

Brava! I love this poem, and it could have been our country this year with flood and drought. So well written, love your phrasing!

Jenne' R. Andrews said...

Lovely poem, Zoe. Again, you handle this form very well. I'd love to see what would happen if you tried your hand at free verse-- I'll be putting up a new prompt soon and perhaps you'll give it a crack-- I greatly appreciate your participation in the meme--xxxj

Monty said...

my hat's off to fellow ballad lover :) and nice job you've done with both form and subject. again. . .I salute you :)

monty / bummy

Zoe said...

Thank you Everyone,
I actually don't seek ballads, they just often come that way.
Shanyn - thank you! I just found it heart breaking that we had severe, widespread flooding after a decade of drought, and then over here, we were longing for rain as people lost everything to rain.

Jen, I will be taking up the challenge, before I overdose on ballads!!
Monty - good to see you too - must admit I felt kinship with you!

Kerry O'Connor said...

I'm also in the midst of a Winter drought, which will only get worse before it gets better. Water is a luxury we seldom appreciate.

Zoe said...

Kerry - you are so right. We have been blessed enough where we are to at least have a bit of rain each winter, but in the grain growing regions it has been so dry. Where are you?