The Clearing - Edit2

[CholSerp]

The Clearing

To north of my house lay a little wood,
Perhaps ten acres thorny-vined and wild,
Cut by a deep ravine.  Town-bred, I could
Oft lose myself in it, by paths beguiled.
Last week a yellow Caterpillar came
(A diesel “Cat” full-treaded, blade-equipped),
And with élan tornados put to shame,
Uprooting every tree with claws steel-tipped.
Now ‘cross a bough-heaped, roughly-graded field
I see, not far, discovered neighbors new.
Soon other houses planned will rise, revealed,
That nesting-place for bird or squirr’l hold few.
    Some fuel and twenty tons of steel that roams
    Did this - those and the yearning dream of homes.

Author’s note: It transpires that the new development is named “The Preserve at Oak Grove.”  It has now been renamed “Nine Oaks.”

Dear Duke Alien,

I really like this poem. I like the subject matter, the form you chose to write it in, and what you have been able to do with this form. The poem has great music in it. It's fun to read. 

One of my favorite verses is "Cut by a deep ravine." I like it because it rounds out the whole image in a powerful, vivid way. The "little wood" is made more interesting by the cut of the deep ravine. A ravine, because it cuts into the earth, creating a dark crevice, also symbolizes mystery; a mystery that is demolished by the Caterpillar. 

You may--and this is an emphatic "may"--reconsider the word choice "élan" to describe a powerful and destructive tornado. On the one hand, "élan" is a beautiful word that complements the already great music going on in your poem. It also serves the purpose of providing a two-syllable word where you need it to fulfill the requirements of the sonnet form. On the other hand, "élan" seems like too soft, too benign a word to describe a tornado which wreaks destruction. According to thefreedictionary.com, "élan" means 1. Enthusiastic vigor and liveliness. 2. Distinctive style or flair. 

Is "liveliness" an adjective you want to associate to a destructive, powerful tornado? Even "angry" (And with angry tornadoes...) seems like a better word choice because it matches better the tone you seem to be going for in these lines. I think you need to use a word that characterizes, properly, the destructiveness, the rage of a tornado instead of characterizing it as "lively" or "enthusiastic."