Storm in The Black ForestEnglish Poems Index
Storm in The Black Forest :
Now it is almost night, from the bronzey soft sky
jugfull after jugfull of pure white liquid fire, bright white
tipples over and spills down,
and is gone
and gold-bronze flutters beat through the thick upper air.
And as the electric liquid pours out, sometimes
a still brighter white snake wriggles among it, spilled
and tumbling wriggling down the sky :
and then the heavens cackle with uncouth sounds.
And the rain won’t come, the rain refuses to come!
This is the electricity that man is supposed to have mastered
chained, subjugated to his own use!
supposed to!
By David Herbert Lawrence
About The Poet :
Storm in the Black Forest was written by David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930). Lawrence first published a book in 1911 and in the nineteen years between then and his death in 1930, he produced over forty volumes of fiction (novels and short stories), poetry and essays. Not a year went by without something from his pen being published. He is chiefly known as a writer of novels but the first time he ever appeared in print was as a poet. He continued to write poetry throughout his life.
Lawrence's poems are full of vitality and power. You will see in Storm in the Black Forest Lawrence's great power over words. His description of the thunderstorm and the lightning is truly electric!
Words to Know :
Bronzey : of the colour of bronze
Cackle : high-pitched harsh sound or laugh (often suggesting pleasure at the misfortune of another)
Flutters : rapid, repetitive or back and forth movements
Subjugated : brought under control
Tipples : tumbles, cascades, overturns
Uncouth : uncivilized, behaving in an ill-mannered, unrefined way
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