Storms Begin Far Back


Storms begin far back.

You can't have a storm offhand
like somebody took a notion and
decided a storm would be right
handy to come off now and here.

     The moan and lash of the winds
     came out of a place nice for
     them, nice for their growing.

     The anger of the waters lay
     breeding, spawning, pent up
     and ready to go.

          The blaze of the prongs,
          the zigzag of forked fire,
          they had a long seed-time
          in a womb of unborn flame
          before they went to town
          and came howling, "You don't
          know what goes on here but
               we'll tell you."

This storm now didn't come out of nowhere
--it had a starting place, a home and a womb
--far back it began, brother, sister,
--far back, sweetheart.


- Carl Sandburg