Laura Sheahen

Tremor

In our garden
earthworms wriggled up from their burrows
you and I stooped to marvel

In our pond
bottom feeders surfaced
we puzzled
then shrugged

In our trees
birds sang in off hours
and took flight
we wondered 
forgot

In our house all unmoved
secure in our primacy
we watched insects flail and stampede
unlike them
we are on solid ground

In the night as we slept
with a sharp violent quake                
our love fissured apart          

Now we walk past the corpses of earthworms
floating fish
fallen nests

the remains of the ones
who sensed what is seismic
unlike us
those who knew




Target

the muse picks smooth rocks
for the stoning

each bruise
where dead blood blossoms
is a poem


Laura Sheahen has been published in Stirring, The Manhattan Review, In Posse Review, MiPOesias, Four Way Review, and several journals in the UK. She works in humanitarian aid.

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