A Calamity

Inspired by Magpie #38


A Bad Omen

It suddenly dropped without warning

Unsecurely stuck teetering precariously

Adorning the bare wall

I spied the mirror earlier

Was it a bad omen?

Shouts of joy and laughter of children on the beach

Could not alleviate the pain

Of seeing a present received from a loved one

On the floor , smashed to smithereens

What with it, it did not seem right.

It was deathly quiet, seemed utterly strange

The chirping of the birds suddenly missing

Restlessness, animals in circles, moving

Initially relieved that frolicking children

were enjoying the sun on the beach but not realizing

Of imminent danger , unfolding

the calmness of the sea was disturbing

Strangely enough it suddenly turned quiet

As an empty concert hall devoid of performance

The air of silence permeated the surroundings

Pull away the curtains!

This was not the time to laze in bed

The sun already up high in the sky

Get up! You’d be late

Wham! How suddenly it happened

Caught unguarded, unprepared, unaware of walls of water

Six metres high, Lashing outside swirling,

it cruelly tore me out of bed

Wrenched out rudely

Tsunami!

Thrust among the debris unceremoniously

Raging torrents inundated the surroundings

Flattening , shoving,pushing racing amongst them

Men, women,children sans laughter, screaming

Animals scurrying, baying

In a whirlpool I was thrown in, frantically grabbing

A log, heaven sent, toppling and tumbling

Hold on to dear life

It seemed ages, I passed out astride

Oblivious of time

The angels above were kind.

I opened my eyes, I was full of grime

Destruction of mankind

Of untold proportions

Wanton loss of lives were common

Providence was overly protective

Of my battered soul and limbs

In daze I wandered my gaze

Around the environment

‘Where is everybody? ”

No one here, no one heard

Just a lost soul in faint soliloquy

There lying beside me just as forlorn

Lifeless, just as lonely, with an inscription, a broken stone

for company