Leonora Speyer. The Squall. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22.

The Squall

By Leonora Speyer


IT swoops gray-winged across the obliterated hills,
And the startled lake seems to run before it:
From the wood comes a clamor of leaves,
Tugging at the twigs,
Pouring from the branches,	5
And suddenly the birds are silent.

Thunder crumples the sky,
Lightning tears at it.

And now the rain—
The rain, thudding, implacable;	10
The wind, revelling in the confusion of great pines!

And a silver sifting of light,
A coolness:
A sense of summer anger passing,
Of summer gentleness creeping nearer—	15
Penitent, tearful,
Forgiven.