Monsters ..en plein air ......

I was four when one dark night lightning struck; 

I, in my jammies in Grandma's kitchen, 

a perfect rendezvous, weather just right

Electric missile shards knifed the cold air,

merging monstrous clapping thunderhead clouds,

terrified me at very first sight 

"Don't' worry" she said, reassuring me

" it's just clowns bumping their heads together.."

but my fear heightened as the sound carried
I imagined big fat heads colliding,
frowning mean rumbling clowns surrounding us -
We peered out the window; they moved closer

I saw them then, painted grumpy faces

ominous charcoal folds, falling over 

one another, wind blowing hardily;

misshapen faces, dark purple rain filled,

 threatening, stormy, jet grey bluish-green,

slamming the ceiling door, cracking loudly

Changing moods - as extensive as our own,

more flashes of light and serious BOOMS! 

Then a bruising downpour on the pavement

"Monster clowns, Grandma, may I sleep with you..

please?" But later when the storm subsided,

I looked up again ..now the clown faces 

had changed; were they a foe or protector?

All of a sudden they seemed friendly, wise

 As she took my hand, I turned and looked back,
 didn't tell grandma they winked at me

I gave them all names as they left my sight

Sleeping, in my dreams they sometimes rumbled

and ranted, but I was never afraid 

In funny clown hats, they had a flair for 
simply returning in another disguise,

sometimes they tried giving me a good scare

blase` was I,  for they were my allies

So now on a given summery day

I paint them on canvas and 'en plein air'

  

Tonight is 'poetics' at  dversepoets.com  and Brian   
invites us to write about monsters,  scary, nice, or whatever

For a long time in my childhood I believed in the image instilled in my mind by my grandmother when she spoke of storm clouds in the sky.  I was sure she used the word 'clowns' instead of 'clouds';  not until I was old enough to understand what she really meant did I realize it, but I still think about it every time there is a thunder storm.  My brother corroborates my story; she did use the word clowns.  How many faces to you see in the quick painting I did?

There are 8 after I added in Emmett Kelley in the lower left and a clip art shot in the lower center.