Atmospheric river

A poem about collapse and recovery

Photo by Rebecca Vaughan (me)

twisting through stubborn lands
ice-torn and splintered 
black skies pulling clouds
into turbulent energies
energies that rise only to smash noses
from marble muses
energies lost to the tides
building power only to hide 
as veins of growth align and fall
wrapping around ankles and wrists
bound to consensus 

an atmospheric river
blasts through adaptation
crushes and obliterates known paths
leaving fractured light in its wake
gravity carries silted bloodlife
winding its way across and through
blocking, tripping, bursting
crumbling 
erosions fall
cascades flip and turn
futures unravel

eons of inertia
give way to gentle unfoldings 
a tension in the air
splits old paths
rearranging fractured routes
into new contours 
sunbaked stone warms
and once settled dust
rises and dances in a gentle breeze
light glints on particles
as small moments
reveal hidden truth

Photo by Rebecca Vaughan (me)

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