FURY UNLEASHED
Foreword
This poem is inspired by the ‘Super Cyclone’ of 29th October 1999, that ravaged coastal Odisha. The official death toll was estimated at 10,000 while the actual number is certainly much higher. The cyclone battered the three coastal districts of Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Puri districts for 14-16 hours. Large tidal waves wiped out entire villages dotted along the coast of Jagatsinghpur. The twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar were flooded and devastated. The power supply was restored after a fortnight in the twin cities. However, power supply in the rural areas was restored after 30-45 days. The poem tries to capture the power and intensity of the natural disaster.
In the eerie stillness
Grim and gloomy shroud
Cyclone blowing, gusting
Office gossips are loud
While the coastline hums
Cyclone crawls ashore
Alerts flare, flags wave
Evacuation's urgent lore
Huge waves swell, surge
Birds panic, and flee
Sheets of torrential rain
Nature's relentless spree
Darkness descends
Howling tempest roars
Homes tremble, a few crumble
Uprooted trees take flight
Poles twisted, streets flooded
City ravaged, people marooned,
Roads in knee deep water
Several cars were afloat
Amid the turmoil
A crocodile swims free
Cyclone's relentless dance
Nature's fury is unleashed
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