William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. (1878–1962). Anthology of Magazine Verse for 1920.

The Squall

IF swoops gray-winged across the obliterated hills,

And the startled lake seems to run before it:

From the woods comes a clamor of leaves,

Tugging at the twigs,

Pouring from the branches,

And suddenly the birds are still.

Thunder crumples the sky,

Lightning tears at it.

And now the rain!

The rain—thudding—implacable—

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—

Penitent—tearful—

Forgiven!

Poetry, A Magazine of Verse