What Makes a Turbine Turn
The formless force
that waggles a flag
and shapes a ghost
from a plastic bag
and levitates
a dragon kite
and wrestles with
the trees at night
is named the same
as that airy motion
which blusters over
field and ocean
and charges up
electric motors
with each revolving
round of rotors.
When next you see
a three-armed beast
who might be facing
north-northeast
don’t worry if
you feel thin-skinned.
“It’s just my pinwheel,”
says the wind.
Copyright © 2013 Steven Withrow. From the book The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science. Pomelo Books. Reprinted by permission of the author.
About The Author
Steven Withrow is a poet, storyteller, and author of six books for visual artists including Illustrating Children’s Picture Books. In 2010, he co-produced the film Library of the Early Mind: A grownup view of children’s literature. In 2011, he founded Poetry Advocates for Children & Young Adults. His poems for children and adults have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies worldwide. He lives with his wife, daughter, and cat in Rhode Island. See more about Steven and his work at www.cracklesofspeech.blogspot.com.
Where to Buy this Book
9 responses to “What Makes a Turbine Turn”
Leave a Reply
this is wonderful, Steven!
This is fantastic! I have a special affinity for poems/books about all the different roles one “simple” thing (like the wind) can do:>) Wrestling with trees, making a ghost of a plastic bag–love this imagery!
I love the way this poem sounds but I love even more the fact that it is about alternative energy, something that we need to think and talk and write about EVERY DAY!
Nice! I especially like the alliteration and the last 2 lines.
Wow. You blow me away, Stephen ~
This is such an awesome poem! Bravo, Stephen!
Nice post!
really nice
This poem is really about me