Shake and Bake

April 07, 2014

I thought I was passing out 
from skipping meals and too much vivarin
then you asked wide eyed
“They have subways in San Jose?”

I knew it then
And before the shimmering gold tower
swayed and danced before us
Grabbed your arm and screamed
“Run!”

To where you asked
but there was no place to go but over the hill 
to our home by the sea.

We drove the serpentine backroads
Over chasms and raised rubble
To a refugee camp of a cul de sac
Neighbors, strangers to us
laying on lawns 
the hum of the constant chatter 
through the panic sound system.
silenced only when the next
but not last
aftershock rumbled 
the houses sleeping bags, trees, road

It was a long night 
some sought refuge
in lines and bong hits 

others curled up tight 
to the promise of another
sunrise, a better day
sleepless in the wait

Some calls got through to those watching
the world series
on the other side of the world
before the lines were frayed and exhausted

Some who had not heard
kept tearful vigil
at the coverage on repeat
of the bridge giving way
crushing hundreds inside

The Sun
She did rise
The City
she did fall
and we went on
back to where we came from
or towards were we thought we were going

The mountain moved
across the freeway
leaving mother earth standing sentinel
saying none shall pass

when push came to shove
to swish
boom
sway-sway

everything changed

Our only solace
that dirt poor indian summer
was the beach
where we lay on sand
as it surged and rolled
with tectonic tides




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