Nature’s thrash-metal show

A clue when the sun
hides away from the day
and the mugginess grows
as the sky becomes grey
Then, as evening approaches
a splatter of rain
It looks like a storm
is brewing again

A rumble of thunder
as the night-time comes round
But in the gaps and the stillness
there’s barely a sound

Then from over the sea
a bright flash in the sky
as, restless, the storm
seeks to electrify
And we count down the seconds
as the thunder moves in
The cacophony grows
and turns into a din

And then we are there
with excitement and thrills
as the rain hammers down
and the floodwater spills

And the lightning’s as bright
as a daytime light-show
and each thunderclap deafens
and excites, as you know
Our whoops of excitement
are lost in between
as the storm gathers pace
with a whoop and a scream

It’s frightening and scary
and wonderful fun
But we’re always relieved
when a thunderstorm’s done

The claps become rumbles
and are less agitated
as we smile and relax
because now we are sated
And as the storm moves away
‘Til it’s hardly in sight
We will go back to bed
and turn in for the night

©Jemverse

Photo – http://www.shorehamphotos.com

Big Sky III

With a big sky over mudflats
out in the estuary
The rain it seems has left us
momentarily

And there are glimpses there of sunshine
in amongst the grey
with blue sky poking through the clouds
to make a brighter day

It’s a promise we will cling to
for the sun is everything
Particularly after rain
with the warmth that it will bring

©Jemverse

Photo – Mudflats of the Thames estuary – Portsea, Essex – Jempics

Into the sun

I’m heading east to Essex
It’s very wet out there
There are raindrops on the window
But I don’t at present care
For I am warm and dry
On a quiet commuter train
On my way to Southend Central
Quite protected from the rain

And in the sky above me
A brightness has begun
So when I reach my destination
I may well see the sun

©Jemverse

Photo – Rain through the window of a C2C train in Essex, UK – Jempics

Allotment III

It’s June and the allotment
is looking like you wouldn’t believe
Far more than I think we hoped for
and more than we could conceive

It’s amazing the effect that the sunshine
mixed with a downpour can do
That, and a touch of elbow grease
from the efforts of you know who

And already we’re seeing in just a few weeks
the fruits of our labours right here
It’s really very encouraging
with a great big helping of cheer

©Jemverse

Photo – herbs, lavender, squash and beans on our allotment – Jempics

Pub

Sitting in Hobgoblin
with an IPA
Watching raindrops falling down
here I think I’ll stay
It’s warm and it is cosy
conversation in full stride
So staying here for a few beers
Beats getting wet outside

©Jemverse

‘Hobgoblin’ is a pub in Brighton, East Sussex, UK

Lazy day – tanka

Breakfast in Brighton
November morning sunshine
follows after rain
Both providing sustenance
for lazy Sunday slowness

©Jemverse

Photo – Brighton Pavilion – Jempics

Day 7 of 7 in the Jemverse ‘Five Lines’ event – a tanka a day for 7 days.

A tanka is a five-line non-rhyming poem of Japanese origin dating back almost 1200 years. Using simile, metaphor and personification, the five lines must follow a syllabic sequence of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7.

Holding Promise

Over Worthing Pier
A rainbow holds the promise
Sunshine always sings

©Jemverse

Photo – the end of the rainbow over Worthing Pier from Goring Beach – Jempics