When the Earth Moved

a day like
any other
preparing evening
meal for all
change quickly
happened
first rattle
sense uneasiness
feeling spread
quickly
sense of doom

unable to stand
walls shaking
flying through air
goods from walls
run they screamed
outside now
knocked to ground
crawling to door
who made it out
not me

walls collapsed
ceiling soon followed
cascade
tumbling
falling
weight of the world
no feeling in legs
unable to breathe
crushed below
gasping last breath
how quickly it ends
no goodbyes
no hug
no kiss
no last words
no time to say
love you

walking down hallway
fancy place in town
best place to stay
columns in place
sandy soil
short cuts taken
building heaves
earth shakes
snap crackle
foundation buckle
like a pancake
floor on top
of floor
collapse as one
no time to scream
gone

stagger into street
people crying
babies wander
blood washes roads
running running
after shock
again again
no end
why why
help me
all cry as one

policeman
fireman
doctor
no more
water gone
food gone
bodies waste
help us
no one cares
world unites
rally to help
docks gone
airport gone
roads gone
help on way

looking searching
pull back rubble
dog sniffs
cry is heard
baby brought out
cheer goes up
one is saved

pits are dug
deep and wide
bodies stacked
thousands now
pushed in covered
buried unknown

recovery begins
once again
slow and painful
how do you
take away
everything
from people
who have
nothing

See me at
Coffee Table Poetry's GUEST BOOK