The Whirlwind

A whirlwind came along the wind

And raced a slow motion scene

Of dust and toil with senseless power

The blink before serene

It came upon an Autumn day

When sun had seemed to set

To a place where wind had gust before

But rage like this not met

So unexpected the advance

And brutal its path of venture

That all there stood and cowered

A dying prayer quick mentioned

As raw and real it whipped a course

No point to hope against it

But rather seek the eye and tighten

Toward a brave adventure

Came crashing down – around – aloud

Came beating scrubbing bare

And up when folk in puffs of smoke

And up went lives uncensored….

But when the dust had settled

When sunlight broke the clouds

A new plain was revealed

Before the gasping crowd

For though old lands lay torn and changed -

A pretty history cleared

The scene unfolded in their eyes

Was beauty through their tears

And it was clear from that day forth

That new life would abound

Among the sapling pastures

And in the fresh turned ground

And greater would their land produce

The joy now filled their eyes

So thankful were they for the day

The whirlwind shaped their lives