Elusive Shadow

• Charles Sutherland, Grade 10, Candlebark School
• Poetry
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Write Along 2018' competition

Softly, silently the clouds open, releasing rain, dampening the Earth’s surface.
The sun is peeking through, trying to show its authority but coming out empty handed.
Plants and the small creatures on the forest floor, their suffering ended, by the few drops hitting the Earth.
There was not time to rejoice for the clouds split like a wood chopper’s axe splitting wood.
As quickly as the flowers appeared, their petals opened to receive the rain.
All the happiness vanished in one instant.
You could feel the elusive shadow of pain, the clouds have never cried like this before.
Animals hiding, birds gliding, having to go with the flow of the darkening weather.
But as quickly as it all started, it was over, turning into a dream state.
With the rain, drifting down, dropping down like a feather falling from a bird,
Gently landing on the planet’s surface.
Ants running around, trying to repair their homes, which the water had so fondly destroyed,
Without any thought or control, flooding and drowning.
Birds flying up to the treetops, trying to reach one lonely ray of sun, shaking the water from their wings.
As dusk shows itself, refusing to let go of the past.