Onomatopoetic

Books can be like movies in your head.  When I read, I don't see words on a page (well, not when I'm reading for pleasure), I see images, characters, places. 

I can get lost in the woods, or stuck on the subway, without ever leaving my bedroom.  Imagery helps.  But an onomatopoeia scattered here and there makes sound come alive with a flair all its own.

I hear the wind rustling the leaves, or the clock ticking beat by beat, or the soft purr of a tabby in the sun.  I see and hear what the page paints for me in my mind's eye. 

What do you hear in these passages, the first sans onomatopoetic words, and the second littered with them:


Thunder resonated in the distance.  The dark clouds congregated ahead.  A twister was brewing.  I could feel it forming.  I opened the pen and the horses ran to freedom.  Their hoof beats, soft steps melting perfectly into a fresh crescendo of rolling thunder above.

OR

Thunder rumbled in the distance.  The dark clouds congregated ahead.  A twister was brewing.  I could feel it forming.  I opened the pen and the horses galloped to freedom.  Their hoof beats, soft thuds melting perfectly into a fresh crescendo of rumbles, booms and a climactic crack above. 

I'll take the onomatopoeia please.

Happy writing,
Sarah aka Reagan