Unearthed Down the street Dogs barking In my own home the musky smell of My wife and daughter between And their breaths steady in and Out in chorus told me They had deep dreams I dreamt with them, yet I wanted to get up and Pee but was nailed down by My tired bones from all day Building mud houses By waiting I would wake Early to find the creek Have tea and go back to work Other families down The road, quiet in their homes, I soon after drew just as mute. I woke up again and thought It was the grumbling of My bladder urging No, it was The roaring and shaking land Of walls and ceilings smashing Against a honeyed earth I found the roof all around Us In our bed with us The dark thick And air concrete. My wife and daughter and I held our breaths for eternity We must have been having the same strange dream of Shiva. Neighbors hunched from lifting our earthen shawl Having the sun on us We were admired for How peaceful we looked Someone took our picture And got paid for it by TIME We were taken to a pyre And piled with our neighbors Our mound of flesh set on fire My daughter's eyes opened As if disturbed by Some nightmare. Close your eyes and sleep, sleep if you can So you won't see Our burning bodies.
