.
A Hurricane by Any Other Name…
The lights went out in Mexico today.
A fury hit Cancun with no remorse.
With death upon her breath, she makes her way
To Lone Star shores. She’s on a fiendish course.
The Yucatan sapped ire from her eye
And now she’s sucking fire enough to strike
From waters in the Gulf—hot-summer-high—
Top temperatures the sun disciples like.
Her sinful spin and torrid twist and turn
Are scrutinized by skittish weather geeks
Who bray and bluster as I burn to learn
The path of peril this she-devil seeks.
I curse this fearsome force so fierce and feral—
How dare she wear the kindly name of Beryl!
.
.
Susan Jarvis Bryant is a poet originally from the U.K., now living on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
This is amazing, Susan! I never would have imagined being able to make a sonnet out of a hurricane. It comes with the constant strong and energetic meter, great word choice, and marvelous alliteration that all of your poems are sure to give your readers. I sure pray “the death upon her breath” and “her sinful breath and torrid twist and turn” don’t come near enough to harm you or do damage to your home or the area where you live.
Cynthia, thank you so very much for your appreciation of my poem and for your beautiful prayer.
Great poem as always Susan! In the name of Jesus I ask and pray that this storm concoction will now be returned to sender. May our heavenly Father rebuke Satan’s demonic schemes and protect His people wherever they are. God bless Texas.
Yael, your powerful prayer has swept that frisson of fear aside and stiffened my spine. God bless Texas, indeed! And God bless you for your care and kindness. Thank you!
Susan, how do you manage to create wonderful art out of the anxiety of waiting for a hurricane to hit the east coast of Texas? It’s amazing! The poem itself is wonderful, full of all the twists and turns and fiendishness of what you amusingly describe as a “she-devil.” I hope and pray that this whirlwind passes you by with only the lightest of gentle breezes. Sending you and Mike prayers.
Brian, thank you for your thoughtful and beautiful prayer, and thank you too for your appreciation of my poem… poetry is what I do to channel my angst. Writing lifts me from anxiety to a timeless world of words and wonder.
I commend you and your neighbors to The Hurricane Lady, who’s protected Saint Augustine, Florida, for 175 years. She’s sometimes identified with Our Lady (Mediatrix of All Graces) and sometimes with Saint Barbara. Beryl is indeed too lovely a name for a storm, and I’m glad the solace of poetry is available.
Margaret, thank you very much for this. I hope The Hurricane Lady works wonders for all those quaking in the belligerent glare of bellicose Beryl.
An event, poetically, sharply brought into focus by someone who lives there. Excellent. Those of us living in gentler climes have to make do with things like Shelley’s –Oh Wild West Wind, thou breath of autumn’s being, A wild west wind is mild compared to a cat 5.
It’s always lovely to hear from you, Dave… and oh for that mild, wild west wind from Shelley… if only. We’re preparing and waiting for tonight’s forecast to see if we need to flee. The Great Storm of ’87 has prepared me somewhat on the wind front… but it’s that darn water!
Do you recall the old song lyric “She can bake a cherry pie, in the twinkling of an eye…”? Well, Susan Bryant can whip up a sonnet the same way! She has not just a huge talent, but also a speed of composition that is phenomenal. This piece must have been composed in the last 48 hours, which is about how long the news concerning Beryl has been on the air.
Beryl is a lovely name but it is not as common in the United States as it is in the U.K. I once tried making a list of all feminine names that were also the names of gems:
Beryl
Ruby
Sapphire
Pearl
Esmeralda
Jade (Giada in Italian)
Topaz
Opal
Crystal
Joe, thank you very much indeed for your encouraging words. I have worked out that the more anxious or passionate I feel about something, the quicker I write a poem. This one was written in around an hour… that’s the measure of Beryl’s power. Let’s hope her power diminishes before she hits land tomorrow!
Thank you too for the marvelous list of feminine names… I think I might take on the pen name of Sapphire Topaz Bryant in the hope of luring more readers.
The waiting and the uncertainty are the the worst things.
Fingers crossed Beryl peters out or tones down.
You’re right, Paul. The waiting is pretty tough. I’m hoping she will tone down. At least these days we are forewarned – that’s something to be most grateful for. Thank you.
I pretty much had the news turned off this week. This was the best way possible to learn about something so potentially catastrophic. I’m about to ease back into the real world and this was a great way to do it.
Warren, I get exactly where you’re coming from on the news front. Mike and I turned the news off in 2021 when we realized that the news was the same old chaos warmed over for five years. It was as if we were starring in Groundhog Day minus the happy ending. Poetry is the way to go… it’s a far more reliable news source.
I fear you are in the near-term pathway of the hurricane and are staring down the “Beryl” of its shotgun winds. Stay safe. Wonderful poem with the vivid detail of a “well-seasoned” poet!
Roy, your “Beryl of its shotgun winds” has made me laugh… the best medicine for angst… along with poetry, of course. Thank you for your calming and caring comment.
Rhyme-&-metered coverage of a ‘hurricane’ is not something I ever expected to encounter, but is another stark reminder of just how in tune you are with so much of what actually ‘matters’. Nothing we – those already affected by – and those likely in Beryl’s path can do but pick up the pieces, prepare and pray. Some great news = family of ours in Cancun escaped with relatively minor damage. BTW – my new ‘digital’ book is now out – and on a very unique, credit-card-shaped flash drive! Evan just posted my ad.
Stay safe, U 2 –
Mark, congratulations and good luck on the digital book front. How intriguing. Thank you too for your kind and encouraging words on my poetry and the hurricane situation. I’m glad your family in Cancun fared well under extreme circumstances. Let’s hope Beryl is as gentle as her name to all in her path.
Susan–a wonderful poem of courage, not to mention defiance. Poets are never really helpess, after all, are they? Whenever danger approaches, natural or man-driven, the poet always retains the armory of language, which you’ve hurled effectively here. Praying that Beryl is intimidated by your poem and touches you lightly and passingly!
Carey, I love your wonderful words. You’re spot-on on the “armory of language” front (great term). I’m drawing upon just that to stave off the menace of Beryl. Your prayer is beautiful and reassuring. Thank you very much for your fine eye and your kind heart.
Timely, topical and wonderfully written!
Thank you very much, David – your words are thoroughly appreciated.
Susan JB, so hoping and praying all will go well for you I do believe writing about events is a very good thing to do — as you have done here, and I very much admire your ability to do so .
Please let me know how your cats are doing, as well.
Dearest Sally, thank you for your comment. You are most certainly right on the penning-events front. It sends me to a place I need to be when I most need it… I know this makes absolute sense to you. I will write to you before we flee Beryl the Peril. Your kindness is much appreciated.
Perfect storm of a poem, Susan. You and all your Texas neighbors are in our prayers
jd, thank you very much indeed.
Susan, you have encapsulated fact and emotion about this hurricane into a perfect sonnet. I love the alliteration and internal rhyme.
Our prayers are with you and all in its path. Please let us know how you fare.
Mary, thank you very much for appreciation of the sonnet and for your prayers.
Susan, “Beryl” with “Feral” is just so good. I suppose you could have used “Peril” but I recall that was a cartoon character once. We have been following the track of this beast of a storm and pray that it subsides before landing in Texas. Your poem is a delight.
Thank you.
Jeff, it’s lovely to hear from over the pond… and I’m glad you’ve been tracking Beryl. She’s been difficult to predict. Thank you for your lovely words on my poem too.
A big THANK YOU! for all of your prayers and well wishes… they’ve worked! Our little town on the coastal plains managed to escape serious damage and flooding… and after five hours without power, it’s back on! Having gone through hurricane Harvey in 2017 and serious flooding in 2019, my nerves tend to suffer a bit. Tonight, Mike and I are most relieved… we are, however, mindful of all those hit by Beryl, and those still suffering in the aftermath of her ire.
Halleluyah and thank you Jesus! I’m so happy to hear that ya’ll are doing well and your power’s back on. Hopefully those who got the brunt of the storm will get theirs back soon too.