stridulate

i learnt a new word today:
stridulate -

(of an insect, especially a male cricket or grasshopper) make a shrill sound by rubbing the legs, wings, or other parts of the body together.

and i fly with its sizzling syllables
right into
the dusky corner of this poem
              wooosssshhhhhhhhh

with resonant surety
the verses begin to rub against each other
and a soft vibration begins to spark the silence

              stshshstshshstshshhhhhhh

the shrill frequencies move into an ever higher pitch
and soon a dervish of hissing and crackling
breaks through the seams of the stanzas
              krrrrrrsccccckkkkkkchchchchchctjtjirrrrrrrrrrrr!!

what could the intentions be
of these piercing oscillations set loose in this poem?
attracting mates or scaring off competition?
              krrrrrrsccccckkkkkkchchchchchchchchtjtjtjtjrrrirrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

the metaphor becomes agitated by this quivering word
the air is bothered and all ears try hard
to guard themselves against this wild metallic rasping
              tjtjtjtjtjrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

all high-pitched energy depletes itself sooner or later
the tones are losing their earsplitting edge
a hoarseness sets in
              grhrhrhgrgrgrgrrrrrrrrrr

the strident angst can no longer hold
the stridulating pace relents
the sun sets and a stillness soothes the air
              sssshhhhhh....

 - Lara Kirsten