Member Poem

When I woke

I saw ash

Molten fumes encasing our terracotta

I held as soft as I could

To make sure it wasn’t a dream

Because when I woke

I saw ash

I shook my head

And saw sunlight

Pushing through black to save me

I reached out as slowly as I could

To keep it in my sights

Because when I woke

I saw ash

I sat upright

And saw death

Crouched at the end of my bed

I asked as quietly as I could

To make sure they would answer

Because when I woke

I saw ash

Looked back over my shoulder

And saw my life

Covered in red

I pleaded as guilty as I could

To save my beloved beside me

Because when I woke

I saw ash

And they were as coated in it as I was