Before you boil and burst
in vicious fits and fists
it starts as itching,
harbingers in crawl —
creatures, spiders
centipedes
inching foot by foot
along your spine…
before they firework
in red-hot rage
fire and ferocious fury
you may have
a lasting lucid moment
to save your soul.
Anger by Pieter Bruegel the elder
Today Sarah wants us to think about harbingers in our poem at dVerse, and I thought about the harbinger of anger in my mini-series on the seven deadly vices and the woodcuts by Pieter Bruegel the elder.
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January 29, 2019
Björn Rudbergs writings 
There’s some effective alliteration here, Bjorn – all those fiery “f”s in the second stanza really fizz with agitation. I like the thought of a pause to save one’s soul.
That last moment of lucidity before you lose your rag. How often have we wished we’d grabbed the opportunity and calmed down?
I wasn’t expecting that! You’ve outdone yourself Björn, with this harbinger of anger and its boiling, bursting, itching and fireworking insects. I love the horror of the Bruegel image but I’m not sure I’d be able to find a lucid moment let alone save my soul!
This is like all the fire and brimstone orations of preachers through the ages! Love all that alliteration–I imagine someone saying this and the spit flying from his mouth. 🙂 Great image to go with it, too.
Oh you’ve explained the rising temper so well here….in such a visceral way…the itching, crawling, rising…and then the eruption. Sometimes it’s just night to impossible to stop those little critters from crawling within our skin to erupt in a rage.
It does hammer us like a poetic alliterate sermon; but very effectively. I’ve had difficulty with anger management all my life, so I can relate, brother.
all those creepy crawlies tingling your spine to explosion. yes, one must pray for the grace of a “lasting lucid moment” (love that phrase).
What vivid description! An aspect of my illness involves the sensation of bug crawling on skin and biting – it freaks me out as I am not fond of creepy crawlies. Your poem described it well
Being a placid sought of soul, I rarely experience anger.
But when I do – it is as you write.
I don’t like it (the anger), seeing it as a lack of control.
But is my control harmful (to me)?
Anna :o]
Wow, the imagery in this! All those creepy crawlies are a little too vivid for my taste lol!
I love the way you are crawling with anger.. Mines kind of like an explosion.. And doesn’t roll so neatly off the tongue. Excellent write Bjorn
Bruegel the elder — the ultimate ekphrastic promptmaster. Add to that, anger. Stir until it boils over. Served hot. Good one!
The alliteration in this sizzles. I have an explosive temper that I often have to breathe deeply to swallow. This is an excellent write!
Everyone has his or her boiling point. You hit the nail on the head here with anger starting small then crescendoing to a extreme ire.
I read ‘rage’ and ‘depression’ in the lines.
It would be good to get that lucid moment and hopefully it can stop the anger.
I love the metaphors describing the rising anger.
The pause, that is so important, before the fireworks.
Great art to demonstrate exactly how it could happen. I am keeping my temper.
You nailed this one. Good job!
Love the building, and the turn at the end. Good if needed😊
Wonderful write, enjoyed this Bjorn…
Such harbingers are gatekeepers, asking, do you really want to go there? Grace is that two second pause between the thought and the deed.
anger that crawls holds a whole new meaning, i can visualise those caterpillar legs creating momentum