Eye of the Storm
In the center, it’s still,
the roar unheard, the rage unseen,
not illusion– suspension—
cock-eyed sanctuary
within the whirling-armed beast, mercurial and wild—
storms like gods, unpredictable
as wars.
Now radiance of the Sun, Cyclops throws his
thunderbolts
becoming Death, justice-blind, sworn to Fate.
A quadrille for dVerse. Eye is the prompt word.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Oh the cock-eyed sanctuary… it feels so very brittle when you are safe in that eye of the storm.
Yes, I think so.
“Cock-eyed sanctuary” was the line that struck me well.
Thanks so much, Liz!
You’re welcome, Merril!
The eye moves though. I hope more of us won’t find ourselves in the storm.
Even Redon’s Cyclops looks friendly, don’t you think?
I had something about it rolling, but I had to rewrite for the word count.
Yes, he does a bit. Or bemused perhaps.
I hate it when the word count puts the brakes on a poem. You can always write the one you intended to, though.
Bemused at what all the fuss is about 🙂
Yes, true. Sometimes those constraints are useful though, too.
Yes, about bemused. 😀
Yes, I agree about constraints being useful. You end up with a slightly different poem to the one envisaged. I sometimes go back and write a longer one.
Yes, I’ve done that, too. 😊
🙂
Yes, war is justice-blind. You capture turbulence well here.
Thank you very much, Sarah.
Terrifyingly timely, Merril! I like the cyclops imagery, which took me back to my Classics days…
Thank you very much, Ingrid. I don’t know why it came to me, but . . .
There is no justice in war. Wonderfully capture, Merril.
Thank you very much, Dale.
You are so welcome.
“Sworn to fate” is the most chilling line of all.
Thanks so much, Liz. I think so, too.
You’re welcome, Merril.
Why do I keep wanting to put Putin’s face on the cyclops? It makes me wonder what mandate he believes he has for such wanton destruction.
We see him as a monster, but I’m sure he thinks he’s a leader.
A leader in Satan’s Army!
I suppose if you believe. Or just a man with no conscience.
Intrepid presentation of what’s actually happening now.
Much love
Thanks so much, Gillena. 💙
We’re all so engrossed, these days. Nothing else matters nearly as much. Fine work, Merril. Thans.
Thank you. Yes, it is difficult to think of much else.
Sometimes the only place to catch your breath is the middle of the hurricane. Great piece.
True. Thanks so much.
So timely.
“within the whirling-armed beast, mercurial and wild—
storms like gods, unpredictable
as wars”
There is so much in these lines….and then the Cyclops appears. Stunning.
I found myself studying the image you’ve used here….the depths reveal more and more.
Thank you so very much for your thoughtful, detailed comment, Lillian. Much appreciated!
I love Odilon Redon–there are so many layers to this one.
That is a scary beast. Love the ending line of: Death, justice-blind, sworn to Fate. With regards to the current events, this hits close to home.
Thank you very much, Grace.
“Unpredictable as war” – so true. Well done, as always, Merril!
Thanks so much, Charlotte!
So much illusion, everywhere. We are surrounded by it. (K)
Yes, we are. Thank you.
Wow! Well done. The cyclops has reappeared once again!
Thank you so much, Dwight!
So much horrific imagery. I especially liked the metaphors of the eye of the storm and the “justice-blind” eye of the Cyclops.
Thank you very much for reading and commenting!
wow
the blindness of war so creatively described here.
Thank you very much.
Definitely bemused. Powerful writing, Merril
Thank you so much, Derrick.
I love the way you connect war and the eye of the storm, no time for false hope or heads in the sand, looking for the real.
Thank you so much, Paul!
‘justice-blind’ – so very true. Its impossible to ignore the storm of war as it wages its destruction. Your poem conjures it up so powerfully.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful words! I agree that it’s impossible to ignore.
I especially like the stanza break, as if anticipating what horrors will come next
Thank you so much. I really appreciate that you noticed it, Phillip.
“Unpredictable / / as wars”—yes! By the way, that’s a wonderful cyclops image, isn’t it?
Thank you so much, Luanne!
Yes, you know how much I love Redon. 😊
Redon is so fabulous. Weird and glorious.
Yes–perfect description!
Merril, this is such a powerful poem. I see the cyclops as Putin, the one-eyed evil only seeing his own glory and not the pain he’s caused. This was very moving. ❤
Thank you so much, Colleen!
I’m so pleased you found it so moving! 💙
Everyone’s poetry is emotional right now. We’re all dealing with PTSD from the horrors in Ukraine shown daily on our TV screens. You had the right vibe. ❤
Yes. I don’t watch TV news, but even so, I read about it and listen to NPR. And after years of Covid, too. . .
And the orange-haired evil one… Ugh. It tears at my heart that we can’t do more.
😔
A truly awesome work of art … the actual art and your Quadrille.
Thank you so much, Helen! 😊
Wow – I love how you wove those reference together, Merril ❤ – and the poem is wonderful. Greatly enjoyed.
-David
Thank you for your lovely comment and very kind words, David! 💙
Love the start of this…
like all hell about to break loose, and did.
Misery well captured.
Good one Merril
Pat
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Pat!
Powerful poem that speaks to us in these hours. How I wish the storm could be carried out to sea…
Thank you so much, Linda. I wish so, too.
Not being able to understand what is going to happen next , wether the storm will continue raging or calm down . The undecided
Yes. Thank you.