Carol A. Hand
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Electric current arcing from cloud to cloud, strobe-lighting earth and sky
Thunder booming in rolling echoes between the ridge and the inland-sea
Torrential rain cleansing sun-parched land before the raging storm passes by
Rich scents of wet earth and fresh ozone linger as witnesses of nature’s power once again rest peacefully
Photo: Cloud-to-cloud Lightening (Wikimedia)
***
Voices from the Margins 
I ❤ lightning. We just returned from that area of the world and I was inspired to learn more about Thunderbirds.
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I look forward to hearing what you learn about Thunderbirds. 🙂
I can’t say I love lightening, but I admit I wanted to learn more about the science. It’s fascinating that we still have so many unanswered questions! But I least now know that the sensation of energy I feel during storms has a scientific basis…
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The stories are not mine to tell but I was interested in the idea that lightning crackles from their eyes and thunder rolls from their beaks. I love the energy of storms and will watch for hours. Weather reminds me that the world is alive. I’ve heard that that petrichor scent is not just ozone but also the sudden release of aromatics from plants and soil bacteria. I think of it as the land answering the sky.
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The world is alive and we’re all connected. According to the site embedded in the post (http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/science/science_electrification.shtml), electrical changes in the clouds affect the earth. Typically, negative charges become concentrated at the bottom of storm clouds due to a number of factors including temperature, and the earth below them responds by shifting from slightly negative to positively charged. Lightening is an electrical discharge between oppositely charged clouds or clouds and the ground. It makes sense that plants would respond to these forces, and animals and people, too. I’m not sure if I’ve explained this very well …
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Your explanation made sense to me. Thanks for taking the time.
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❤
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I love the smell of the earth after a good thunderstorm.
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I do too, Bernadette. Thank you for your comment. ❤
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I would say rains bring out the best smell in our nature – quite a sharp one it is!
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So true, Alok. Thank you for your comments. 🙂
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I both love and fear lightning, I am fascinated by it and feel compelled to watch it while simultaneously having one hand on the curtain or my head half under the duvet! I think I learned the fear from my mum who is terrified of lightning but acquired the curiosity from my dad. It also teaches us the force of Nature and never to take her for granted.
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Thank you sharing your feelings and memories about lightening, Chris. 🙂
It is a powerful force!
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I love thunderstorms. Your poem puts me right in the middle of one, with all the sights, scents, and sounds.
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Thank you for your thoughtful and lovely comments, Kathy. 🙂
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Fabulous lines and imagery Carol. I actually felt the storm and smelled those scents that I love.:) ❤
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Lovely comments, Natalie. Thank You. ❤ I'm grateful to know this poem evoked images of an experience you love ❤
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My pleasure Carol❣😘
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an exciting
storm 🙂
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It was an exciting storm, David, although the power was AWE-some and daunting.
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