The Wind

by CD Richards

Across the plain
devoid of life
the red dust stirs.
Climbing ever higher,
a whirling dervish above
the sun-baked ground.

The ocean's fury—
white-capped walls
of blue and green
rear like a serpent
towering above,
prepared to strike.

The people, spent,
lie listlessly longing for rain.
'Til over the mountains
drift the precious
life-giving clouds,
propelled by forces unseen.

Sit with me, my son.
Look to the fire
and I will tell you
what brings the rain;
what causes the tumult on the water;
what makes the dust to dance.

It is the gods, the unseen movers—
Melanya, Herbovis, Tunaka:
the gods of harvest,
of oceans and lands.
Forming their counsel,
determining our fate.

You will not see them, my son,
and neither will you hear;
for their breath is the zephyr you feel
cooling your skin
as they speak the threads
of each new day.

The breeze that brings relief
in the fierce desert heat;
The rustling of the leaves
in the moonlight;
these are their handiwork,
their gift unto the sons of men.

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Potlatch challenge entry. This week's challenge:

Pretend you are a member of a primitive tribe at some point in the past. Your people have beliefs and traditions very different from those of other societies around the world. All we want to know is what wind means to you. Give some reasons or examples, as you talk about this invisible yet powerful force of nature.

Suggestions (none required, just ideas to get you started):

In your society, is wind worshipped? Feared?
Does wind have a spirit? A name?
What does it bring to your people?
What stories do you have about its effects?
What myths do you have about its origin?

Please do NOT use myths of known societies, such as Incas, Native Americans, remote tribes of Borneo, etc. Invent your own, and only as regards wind.

(In one hour)

Pays one point and 2 member cents.

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A potlatch challenge entry

A chapter in the book Miscellaneous Poems Vol 2

The Wind

by CD Richards

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