earthquake

Posted by Kabby on November 13, 1999 at 00:29:45

let the guns fall silent and
let there be
no more bullets in the backs of heads
for
this is the dawn of a new age

there has been darkness over
the land for too long
and the river's fresh flood
ran red with blood

I saw fathers become sons
and bend their knee
witnessing the empty sky
or at least a bird that flew
through or the sound
of a bird

I saw sons caught in terrible anger
call up eathquakes
I saw people crying out of doors
I heard hell fall from the sky
and reign over the land.

I heard throats open in the night
and noises like animals fighting
Tore through the darkness
Drums that echoed out anger, wrath, jealousy
and spite.

Dry noises that craved the moisture
Thirsty noises
That drank only salt
Salty dry noises like the voices
of bones in the desert

I forgot to tell you that I love you
I must
say it every minute because
That time is soon past

You might not hear me shouting
When you are flying at the speed of light
Away from me

I must hold onto your coat like a beggar
And beseech you to wait
While I fumble my lines yet again
And then say them too late

Hold you back in terror
lest you pass into oblivion
Without me
See your terrible face turned away
From me

See the light break over the sky
Like a dawn
Wait for judgement or
maybe just the judgement call?

Beat my fists uselessly againt the wood again
Summon up pain into tissues
That have grown cold

Watching bodies grow old
In heartbeats or the
Whistle of the missile.
Rape breath from young chests
Rip the very stuff of life
out of flesh that could be mine

I made my house clean for the Goddess and laid in bed
trembling like a virgin
waiting for a ghost
and none came

and in sorrow I turned
and faced the wall
and wept for you