Concrete Waves

by slighte   Feb 21, 2012


Out on the streets are
concrete waves, frozen
still,
twelve months after
twenty four second
destruction.

They've been counting aftershocks;
I've been counting fear.
Numbers force terror into
fact; statistic. It will make us
stronger, they say,
to know
we've survived ten
thousand. Ten thousand swells
beneath our feet.
Ten thousand

black holes pulling
us to ground.

Sometimes I get lonely,
wondering whether that sound
is a quake or a train
while bricks keep falling.
But my dreams are surrounded
by sirens and screaming and
cathedral bells escaping
God's hand,

colliding with those concrete
waves.
They comfort me.
Those faces are not strangers,
those faces are sound -
music and fear, and
being one in remembering
i-love-yous while we can.
We are praying together,
and crying together,
breaking hearts together
still.

And I will laugh again
and I will sing again
but not today.
The waves will
calm again,
but not today.
Today we pave the
waves with red.

--

One year ago today (22 February), an aftershock hit my city as a result of an earthquake five months prior. 185 people died. These are facts. You cannot capture the fear, the noise, or the power of such fierce quakes in anything except being there. This is for Isaac and Christian. Sorry for the longness, but this is important to me.

Hold on tight to what you've got, and don't for a second think it'll stay. Peace.

    report violation
3


Did You Like This Poem?

Latest Comments

  • 12 years ago

    by Nema

    I've been too emotional lately, and this poem made it worse lol. I'm really a fan of your poetry and what it holds. Not to mention that writing about a personal experience is never an easy thing. Chapeau :)

    "Sometimes I get lonely,
    wondering whether that sound
    is a quake or a train
    while bricks keep falling.
    But my dreams are surrounded
    by sirens and screaming and
    cathedral bells escaping
    God's hand,"
    ^
    I LOVE this stanza, especially the first few lines. I couldn't feel more lonely. Always has it been that the thing we're surrounded with the most keeps haunting us in dreams, like it wasn't enough already.

    I love this and I love you for writing it. Keep writing and shining and inspiring :)
    ~

  • 12 years ago

    by Larry Chamberlin

    My old Comment as tiebreaker:

    Ghastly, crazy - your stark image of the concrete torn upright like a frozen wave conveys the surreal terror of the quake and its aftermath. The one thing you believe you can always count on suddenly explodes from under your feet. This work depicts the betrayal of earth and its impact on real people so well that you cannot help but trust the resilience of the protagonist, even though you can understand that it will take much longer to come back.

  • 12 years ago

    by Sora

    Wow so beautiful! your emotions in every line i felt. i could picture every line in my head as well. what a tragic thing to have to go through..

    But my dreams are surrounded
    by sirens and screaming and
    cathedral bells escaping
    God's hand,

    amazing lines! i loved those the most! you have such a vivid imagination, however i am sure nothing in this poem was imaginary but from your very own experience. the last line as well i also adored about paving the waves in red. a wonderful ending to such a beautiful and touching poem. do keep writing, i enjoy reading your work. i wish you the best of luck and hope all is well where you are.

    Ash

  • 12 years ago

    by gonul

    VERY GOOD

  • 12 years ago

    by Ronel McCarthy

    Great meaningful poem

Read All Comments (11)

More Poems By slighte