By Elizabeth Schultz
Beneath the bay, Earth itched
and stretched. Burdened by
mountains and by time, she
felt the need to readjust both.
Her shoulder muscles flexed,
and tectonic scapulas scraped
against each other, a megathrust,
the land grating, groaning, and
shaking and shuddering, she threw
the blanketing sea into a delirium,
a whirlpool of nightmares.
At last she relaxed, and her axis
wobbled back into place, easing
both land and sea. They lie together
now, side by side, placid and sober,
indifferent to the mess of bedclothes
strewn around.
Published with permission.
Poem from Elizabeth's recently published Anthology "Coming from Japan"
