Storm approaching

Storm approaching Guarbecque (William Brown)

Storm approaching

grey grey grey grey white white white
grey grey grey grey white white white
black black black and grey grey grey grey
grey grey grey grey and black black black
rain rain rain rain rain far-away
water water water far-away flash water
boom boom boom rain rain rain boom
water boom water water boom tears

Secret storm, you approach under cloud cover. The fairy blows her icy breath down the back of the gardener's neck. The blue tit lifts up its blue cap and calls titipu titipu titipu. Through the blackness, the sky glues to the trembling poplars. The first fat droplet falls on the spider in the privet. The man turns around to the increasing sighs, lifts up the collar of his linen jacket and watches the moving air. Hedge is changing colour. Tit gets its beak nailed. Blackness is about to win. Water is going to fall. Canal is impatient. Horizon is closing itself like the devil's black hand. He is blinking his eyes, he sneezes and cries over the earth.

grey grey grey grey white white white
grey grey grey grey and black black black
black black black and grey grey grey grey
grey grey grey grey and black black black
rain rain rain rain rain far-away
far-away water water water water flash
boom boom boom rain rain rain boom
boom water boom tears water water

The stained glass window is becoming darker and darker. The flame of candles is shining golden trembling light twisted under the porch by the air stream. The stone church is about to crouch down under another thundering God's black sky. The other side of the storm is full of pigeons scratching at the zinc in the roof-gutters. Canal is made of oxidized lead. Fish open their mouth and raise their eyes towards the deep. Everything is upside down. Clouds melt like black tar over the village gardens. In the British cemetery, the dead soldiers open their ears. The barrage fire starts. Light is coming from behind the sky, the white water, the black ground. Come on, storm, come on !

grey grey grey grey and black black black
grey grey grey grey and black black black
black black black and grey grey grey grey
grey grey grey grey and black black black
rain rain rain rain rain far-away
far-away water water water flash water
boom boom boom rain rain rain boom
tears water boom water water boom

Lucien Suel (traduit par l’auteur)