Poetics: IN the END

Pompeii

A touch---

Feel the BASS in your chest
             air thick with each breathe
             ash, & ash, & ash
Feel the BASS in yoUR CHEST
             ground liquefies beneath
             earth sky earth sky
             lines blur between
             falling into each other
FEel the BASS in yoUR CHEST
             the gods have returned
             the gods are here
             the gods are insane
             the gods
             oh my god
             bodies, mouths wide
             screaming loud but unheard
             100, 1000 lions roar apocalypse

fire, fiRE, oil & fIrE

where are the children? where
      am i? damp, sweat, piss, blood
      god,  i, ash & ash
fade to grey, then black,
      fingertips on a shoe
a sandal, a..a table leg,
i

orange-red, a light, bright, blink,
      black, heat, blink

black, breathe, can't,
    black, breathe,
black, can't
i

break
     release
          breathe
finger hovering over the stone that once was
--was a body, sitting now between stalls, fresh
fruit in the market, it's curled, seeking safety

---and at a touch
i cross time, there, the moment where
hearts stopped--her heart's stopped---
first thoughts in the face of---

of--but then, a woman, her child
on a day of celebration, they are smiling,
laughing, she sees
               her husband, smiles, crossing
the stones when---

the BASS begins, (this is the end) feel it
      in your CHEST (this is the end)
this is the end---

and you never
    never saw it coming, even through
you have felt the tremors for weeks, months
    years, and swore, it
                               would
                               never
                               happen

to you---

At dVerse Poets today, I am manning the pub and bringing friends, in particular, Reena from Missing Moments, who has graciously allowed us to use some of her wonderful pictures for our poetry prompt today. Trust me, there are some pretty amazing shots, but---you will have to tune in at 3 pm EST to see which ones...smiles.


And do stop over at Missing Moments and check out an artist behind the lens.