Mark Scrivener Poetry Blog No 23 North-Western Wind

NORTH-WESTERN WIND

On the east coast of Australia the winds are in a sense the opposite of Europe. The south wind is cold, the north wind is warm, the east wind is wet from the ocean and the west wind is dry from the desert. This poem is basically build around a metaphor from the New Testament, see Jesus talking to Nicodemus. However, at the same time it is a poem of nature.

CARSE, J. H. Australia, 1819 - 1900

Windy coastal scene, Victoria

1870, Melbourne

oil on canvas

                                  

                           NORTH-WESTERN WIND

North-western wind excites the scene:

it whips white steeds across wide sea;

it drives grey clouds to restless drifting;

it animates dry, grounded leaves

and raises dust to brief and ghostly form;

and sets the red hibiscus nodding;

endows brown grass with rustling life;

and stirs high, gum tree tops to frenzied swaying;

and gives the long, bare strands of wintered willow

a lightly-swaying grace.

Such is its power,

unseen yet everywhere,

for it is breath, not air.

This carries clouds;

this moves the atmosphere;

this sets the surface of the sea

to lift long. rolling waves;

this bears the flying seeds;

this causes leaves to rustle.

A world without wind would be quite dead.

So is this breath like Spirit, it was said.