Myths of the Tempest
by

Terrance D. Young

These are poems from 1965 through 1976.  During this time I was in High School,
Drafted into Vietnam, went to Woodstock, college, art school and traveled the country

Table of Contents

 

more coming

 

 

Myths of the Tempest
.

Elements of the storm
completely awe me,
and absorb my senses into it.
On a night that belongs to the tempest
I am a guest,
and it's wise to be sheltered.

Outside air is thick
and sparkles with moisture
muffling sound of distant thunder.
Roaming wind carries a song
urging on
the elements of the storm.

That are hardly known to me
in my retreat of space and time,
and if I ventured out
to compete
I would become
just one of its sounds.

Approaching thunder
lights the countryside
rattling my soul
shivering deep inside
.

The tempest knocks!
Coming to greet me
a guest, with whom
she can do as she pleases.

Tempest of the day and night,
true goddess of the Earth,
I have no ability to conjure
or magically seduce you.

But I retain the power
to create of you
countless images,
and all that my imagination
can hold.

Your elements of
are more than just a storm.
Your energy released
are reasons for legends being born.

And Myths of the Tempest
have been created
in your wake.

.
Galileo

Why did you
submit to their god?

Didn't you see
the Devil in their eyes?

The Truth they said
was in their words

When the only truth
comes from God.
.

.
Poetry of the Earth

Gently swirling minds
probe the far reaches
of the planet
  searching for freedom
  and reasons for living
as if there must be

Gently swirling clouds
whiten the blue
and shade the brown
  giving, living stillness
  to the planet
where, from the eyes of a woman
  comes love
  and the wonder of
all and everything.

The Earth concerns us
it is home
  our senses reality
and the only truth here
comes to us
from the poetry of the Earth
.

 
A Myth for the World
and a plea for free people's dreams and misconceptions
.
through our eyes we see the world
and our visions of it
i know i see it different from you
and you from them
and as we see our world
our different views begin to blend

in contrast and harmony
are the impressions and thoughts
we all see together, but how different
from each other
it lies in the difference from you
that we close on the cover

our security is well protected
with the false belief our intentions are good
but our meanings are shrouded
by the myths and faulty creations
that we let rule our thought
instead of our sensations

through our minds we perceive the world
we were all taught together
and in schools we learned of histories past
and wondered who wrote all the pages
but already we were to be guided
by the thought creations of the ages

preceding forms of life
and long before the oceans rolled
were the words concealed in sound
of our champions to be told

consider untamed man
battling nature for being
trying to find reason
for all they were seeing

in the need for security
a supreme being would provide
explanation for the tempest
and a reason when they die

idols were animals or unknowns
taking shape in the clouds
their first words were of fear
and just words of sounds

but in those utterances
were the beginnings of science
and they spoke of a divine master
a god almighty and of the highest

morality and spirit
controller of everything they saw
holder of divine mercy, understanding
and of more

only time changed the barbarian sacrament
to subsequent religious ceremony
only time has moved on
and the rituals of divine tradition
merely have changed substance

through our instruments
we can better know our place
among the universe
and cosmic space

maybe far off into the unknown
will we ever know
and do you think our god
even out there has control

amidst a universe
who's light's we haven't seen
such a being would be absolute
or so it would seem

why must there be such an absolute
for us to be controlled
and let our thoughts
be bought and sold

and we buy them without question
from a president or pope
finding no need to doubt
when looking for hope.
.

 
Ice Storm
New York City
December 1973
.
Winter's storm has kept me awake
all night long.
Keeping me awake to witness
its power,
as if the world were ending
and I was forced to observe
the final stroke,
which I felt could be coming
at each snapping crack
of a branch succumbing
to the burdensome weight
     of ice.

Rocket like ripping impacts
murder my tree again
just like a friend
with so many memories

It wasn't till I ventured out
did I realize the full intensity
of Decembers ice storm
.

It wasn't till I was through
inspecting the battleground
that a thought was born

Just as I felt natures
relentless fury
Now I could feel the
agony of torn limbs

The oak trees are broken!
mighty oak
stronger than man
taken apart
bent and twisted
as only nature can

Show such force
to remind the ego human
we are but a part
a fraction of this all

 

 Sweet Lady's Dream

the fire boils balls
of opium black
lighting my fantasy side
sweet black lady
take me for a ride

where was I
a fortnight ago?
lost in endless thought
in space and time
finding whatever I sought.

a path through hedges and flowers
meandered like a dream,
frightened and lost in her garden
I abused my lover.
while I begged her pardon,
a hearts desire
would appear before my eyes.

that's the way time
is spent in endless space,
with each new thought
that materialized
I had to turn hundreds away.
the lady's shiny glow,
although black,
was my light of the day.

colors I never saw before
glowed from her skin,
then took the form
of a desire.
I realized then,
of this,
I couldn't ever tire.

the want of that lady
could weaken me,
enslave me,
and cause me to scream.
unfortunately the price is too high
for me
to live in her dream.
.

more to come